


In the Name of Love

by good_mythical_miles, MythicalCatie



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Engineer!Link, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Abuse, It's Like Molasses, Kindergarten Teacher!Rhett, M/M, Mental Illness, October 16th 2017 - Ongoing, Past Abuse, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2019-10-02 09:55:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 100,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17262122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/good_mythical_miles/pseuds/good_mythical_miles, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicalCatie/pseuds/MythicalCatie
Summary: Running from his troubled past, Link Neal travels from rural North Carolina and lands in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, California with his young daughter, Ryleigh. Once a parent who homeschooled, now-single dad Link puts Ryleigh in public school so that he can keep a job. After abiding to take some time for himself and his child, no third party involved, he meets Rhett McLaughlin, Ryleigh’s kindergarten teacher, and suddenly has himself wondering whether another relationship would be so bad after all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to our betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae and afangirlsplaylist. We appreciate you so much!

**Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 9:15 AM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

No, she was gone for sure now. It had been an entire sixty-three minutes; if she needed to come back because she had forgotten something, that time had long passed.

He had been sitting on the couch for an hour, staring at the front door waiting for her to walk through it. She hadn’t returned, so it must be safe to pack. But even though he knew that he was in the clear, Hunter’s legs still felt weak underneath him as he stood, and he was still trying to find any reason that would keep him from moving forward with the plan that he had concocted. Were there any redeeming qualities that Caroline had? Anything at all? Was there any reason for him to stay here, for _Ryleigh_ to stay here, a reason that was good enough to cause him to ignore all of the bad in their relationship?

Hunter had thought about that question long and hard and the answer was no. There were some things. Of course there were. She was radiant. But the things that redeemed her, that kept her from being nothing more than the bad guy in the story of his life, weren’t enough for him to stay. They’d be better off apart. He knew that now.

He wished that he had the feeling of being completely justified for his decision— and he did, in some moments. But in the moments that he didn’t? All that remained was a lead ball in the pit of his stomach, begging him to stay despite each and every last one of her many issues.

But he couldn’t stay, and he knew why. He had a daughter to worry about now. He had for a long time, and though he’d managed to protect her thus far, her home with Hunter and her mother was no longer safe for her, and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her because he had some absurd fantasy of fixing things with his girlfriend.

So, despite the fact that he still loved her and despite the fact that he— in a situation where he was childless— would likely die before he built the confidence to leave her, he had spent months meticulously saving, planning, and running what was in his future over in his head a million times, prepping the best he could for what was to come. All that was left was putting the plan into action (albeit it being a bit earlier than he had expected), but he was having trouble following through.

He was leaving home—leaving everything that he’d ever known behind. His town, his family, leaving it _all_ , and although he was doing it out of love and consideration for his daughter’s safety—for the safety of **all** of them—that didn’t mean it stung any less.

He should be _happy_. They were getting a fresh start away from the horror that had become Caroline. An opportunity to build a new life for themselves that was whatever they wanted it to be. But abandoning Buies Creek? Abandoning his parents and his friends and _Caroline_? Abandoning her when he knew she needed him, when he knew she’d fall apart without him? He felt horrible beyond belief for that. But he could only hope that her support system was strong enough to carry her through the darkness that he couldn’t, because she deserved that much.

So, even though he was reluctant, he stood up off of the couch before he could convince himself to do otherwise.

“Where are you going, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked, looking up at him with her big, blue eyes through the long blonde hair that was in her face. He really needed to braid it again.

“Just upstairs for a little while. Daddy has some things to do. You keep watching, okay?” he told her in answer, referring to the cartoon on the television. They’d seen that exact episode at least fifty times. She’d know it in her sleep, and whatever he had to do upstairs interested her way more, especially judging by the way that he had been acting all morning.

Ryleigh was a bright girl. There was no doubting that, and Hunter wasn’t biased just because he was her father. She was actually _intelligent_ , both intellectually and emotionally so. That intelligence coupled with the fact that she spent all day every day with him due to homeschooling meant that she knew when something was off with him.

On her mommy’s “mad days,” Hunter usually relaxed once she left for work. But today, he was tense like her “sad days.” Somehow, though, it was even worse. Instead of being happy to spend time with her and being engaged with their cartoons, he kept looking at the door. His eyes were practically glued to the thing he was staring at it so much.

Ryleigh typically loved watching morning cartoons with her father, especially on Caroline’s “mad days,” because they could chill out and not worry about setting Mommy off. It was nice and calm. But today, none of the fun was there at all. Hunter wouldn’t even pay attention. So, whatever he’d be doing upstairs had to be _very_ important if he was as distracted as he was, and she wanted to find out just what had him otherwise occupied.

“No,” she said, sitting up. She was completely uninterested now that something _new_ was happening. “I don’t wanna watch anymore. What do you gotta do upstairs, Daddy? Can I come?”

“Daddy just has to pack a few things. We’re gonna take a trip today,” the blond man informed her, deciding to leave out specifics. The less she knew at this stage, the better. Partly so she didn’t share the information with others they’d encounter, but mostly because he couldn’t bear to break her heart just yet. He hadn’t figured out _how._ How was he supposed to tell his five year old that they were leaving behind everything they’d ever known, including her mother, in favor of a strange new place? If there was something about this life change that he hadn’t planned for, that was it.

“A field trip?” the girl asked excitedly, her smile growing wide.

Hunter had always found ways to make learning fun, including field trips relating to their lesson plans (or sometimes just for a break). They were among Ryleigh’s favorite parts of school, and she was ready to be ecstatic for one if that was the case.

The blue-eyed man thought for a moment, unsure of whether it was wiser to tell his daughter something resembling the truth or to simply lie to her outright. After a moment, he chose the latter option; she wouldn’t be mad at him for it when he told her the truth later. Besides, it kind of **was** like a field trip. It just… would never end. That was all.

“Yeah,” he smiled. “A field trip. Isn’t that fun?”

“Yeah!” Ryleigh exclaimed, her smile only getting bigger. “Where are we goin’ on the field trip?”

“Where are we _going_?” Hunter asked, forcing a small smile. “It’s a surprise!”

Maybe he’d tell her once they were outside of the borders of the town. That way, he wouldn’t have to keep the secret from her for too long. But it had to wait until at least then.

By Hunter’s count, they’d come across two people that they knew very well on the way out of town. Ryleigh would share secrets with anybody no matter who they were as long as they’d listen, but especially people she knew, and especially when she didn’t know it was a secret. So, he had to keep things under wraps until those people were no longer a problem.

He decided to give himself until Smithfield to let her know what was going on. If he didn’t do it then, he knew he’d try to keep up the charade for as long as possible and that wasn’t healthy for either of them

“A surprise?” Ryleigh squealed. “I wanna help pack!”

As Ryleigh spoke, she made quick work of pulling herself off of the couch and onto the hardwood beneath it. Her feet were planted flat on the floor in no time, but she knew they wouldn’t stay there for long. Ryleigh had decided. She would be following her dad upstairs whether he liked it or not.

“Don’t you want to finish your show, though, sugar?” he asked, stretching out his sore muscles. God, he had gotten it bad last night.

It wasn’t that Hunter didn’t _want_ Ryleigh to help him pack. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He’d happily take any time that he could get with her. It was just that today, he needed some time alone to clear his head before they departed. He needed time to focus and give himself one more chance to mull it over before everything got crazy. Ryleigh would just be a distraction to that effort.

Of course, she’d be a distraction that he enjoyed the company of, but she’d be a distraction nevertheless. He’d rather do without those when dealing with one of the biggest changes to ever happen to him in all his years of living.

If he couldn’t get her to stay where she was in the current moment, he would have to deal with that, but the possibility of failing wasn’t going to stop him from trying. _Am I going to fail at leaving, too?_ “If you finish, then you can tell me what happens in the end.”

Hearing his words, Ryleigh just laughed. “You’re _silly_ , Daddy!” He knew what happened. They’d watched this episode so many times that they’d worn out two DVD disks from consuming it so often. Both of them could recite the script verbatim. “You know what happens!”

As Ryleigh spoke, she wrapped her arms around her father’s legs and clung to them, smiling when he reached down to smooth her hair back.

“Yes, Daddy is _very_ silly,” he laughed, and he resisted the urge to grab his ribs. “And I know we know what happens, but you still like it. So, watch. I’ll be ready soon and we can go.”

Ryleigh shook her head before craning her neck to look up at Hunter with those adorable doe eyes of hers. He wondered why she didn’t just take a few steps back. “Pleeeeease can I help? I’m the best at packing in the whole wide world!” That was a bold claim considering she had never packed anything in her entire life. “Pleeeease, Daddy?” she pleaded, jumping up and down and tugging on his pant legs. Hunter was lucky she didn’t pull his pants down or step on his feet during her excited fit.

There was no way that the thirty-nine year old was going to fall for his daughter’s insistence that she was “the best at packing in the whole wide world,” but her begging was cute and who was he to deny her, anyway? He especially couldn’t resist her when her eyes were used as weapons against him.

The day that she was born, when the nurse put her in his arms and he saw those massive baby blues for the first time ever, he knew that from then on out, whenever she used them against him, he was done for. He would never win another match of back and forth again as long as those eyes were there, boring into him and melting him down like a furnace melting gold. Even if his resolve hadn’t been weakened by the truth that honestly, he was going to let her assist anyway if need be, they would have done the trick.  

“Well, I guess I could use some help…” he said, teasing by sounding put out. In reality, he was. At least a little bit. But he wasn’t going to let her know that. “Okay. Thank you, baby. Let’s go!”

Hunter knew that he had to force himself to smile. He had to feign excitement for a trip that very well might be ill-fated. He had to grin through the pain of it all, of losing the life he’d built, because as far as Ryleigh knew, they’d come back home to Mommy at the end of the day. As far as she knew, it was just a field trip. But that was okay. He had gotten good at putting on a happy face.

With Ryleigh’s exclamation that she’d be **right** behind him, Hunter began to make his way to the stairs, his legs aching and burning as he approached the flight. He didn’t want Ryleigh to witness him struggling up the stairs, so instead, he decided to send her up ahead of him.

“Hey, Ry, do you wanna race up to my bedroom?” he asked, forcing a smile so that she wouldn’t think that something was wrong.

Ryleigh was confused by the proposition, and it was then that she was _sure_ that something weird was going on with her father, field trip or not. How dare he suggest that they break one of Mommy’s rules?

“But… But Mommy says no running.” A good mood or not, running was for outside. “Are we gonna break the rules?” she asked, looking up at Hunter with wide eyes. He had always followed those **exactly**. Always! What had changed that he was willing to break them now? “Mommy’s gonna yell…”

Ryleigh’s voice was nervous as she spoke to her dad, almost as if she had left the words, “or worse” unspoken. The man could certainly tell that that was what she was thinking judging by the look in her eye, albeit it being in her own words.

Sometimes, Caroline’s anger would get out of hand in front of Ryleigh, and sometimes, the girl would see things that she wasn’t supposed to. Hunter tried his best to shield her from it, but it was hard with how Caroline was. It was nearly impossible to get her to listen to reason when she was going off. As a result, Ryleigh knew how their house ran, and she knew that upsetting her mother meant a disaster. It had always been that way. She had a right to be worried.

In response to the question, though, Hunter slowly nodded his head. In that brief moment, he had given it a lot of thought. It was hard not to come to the conclusion that they didn't have to abide by the rules that Caroline had set anymore. In leaving her, they were free to make their own. “Yeah, sugar,” he decided, giving her a small, reassuring smile. “We’re gonna break the rules.”  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to afangirlsplaylist and good-mythical-maddi for being such awesome betas!

Sure, they were going to break the rules, but that was okay. There weren’t going to be any consequences. Not anymore. Not ever again. “It’ll all be okay. Mommy’s not gonna yell. Go ahead and run.”

Ryleigh looked up at her father, eyes wide with shock and skepticism. In all of her five years of life, the man had never once deliberately disobeyed her mother’s many rules, let alone said that doing so would be _okay_. Ryleigh took a single, hesitant step forward as she kept her eyes glued to Hunter, watching him closely just in case he had a change of heart. She was utterly confused as to what had changed so suddenly, and why they didn’t have to worry about punishment. But as soon as she got to the first step of the stairs, the little girl’s playfulness took over and she began to pick up speed. After all, what five year old could resist a race?

Soon enough, she was sprinting through the halls upstairs, the sound of her feet hitting the floor akin to that of a stampeding herd of elephants. She was giggling loudly as she ran to her parents’ room, where she jumped onto the bed once she arrived. She was _never_ allowed to jump on beds, but now that her father seemed to think that they were done with rules, what did it matter? As she hit the mattress, she squealed, “I won the race, Daddy! I won!”

At that time, Hunter had still barely reached the halfway point of the stairs. He knew never to rush things while he was in pain, as it would only bite him in the ass later on, but he needed to make Ryleigh think he was at least trying. So, with a faux incredulous gasp, he called out, “What?! I can’t believe you, Ry! I can’t believe you didn’t let your father, the man who bathed, fed, and changed you for years, win that race! How dare you?!”

A moment later, Hunter appeared and leaned against the doorframe. He gave the girl a weak but well-intentioned smile before entering the room. “Nah, Daddy’s just kidding. I knew you’d win. You’re quick like lightning.”

As a result of the fact that hyperactive play was reserved for outside, Ryleigh had a lot of pent up energy despite Hunter taking her out to play as much as their schedule allowed. Now that rules seemed to be non-existent, though, she was eager to release some of it, jumping up and down on the large bed and giggling loudly. “I’m fast like lightning, Daddy!” she squealed, parroting the man. Then, teasing the thirty-nine year old in return, she exclaimed, “You’re so slow!” She then plopped down on the bed one final time, short of breath. “Packing time?” she asked, clapping her hands together a single time in order to mimic the action Hunter often used when it was “time to get down to business.” Always Hunter’s “right-hand little miss,” Ryleigh was always eager to assist the man with whatever he needed to get done, and the current moment was no exception.

Hunter smiled a genuine smile, naturally finding the sight of his daughter copying his own mannerisms quite adorable. “Yeah,” he confirmed softly, making his way over to the walk-in closet at the far right of the room. He returned a moment later with, in each hand, one suitcase and one bag with a surprising amount of compartments. Hunter knew that he needed to be extremely frugal until they were on their feet again in their new hometown, but he figured the fifteen dollar fee for the extra carry-on would be a necessary sacrifice. The more he could take from the house, the less he’d need to purchase later on. It was only economical thinking. “Packing time.”

He placed the suitcase on the bed and opened it, leaving the bag for later. They’d take it into Ryleigh’s room once they were done in Hunter’s. “All right, baby girl. C’mon, hop off the bed and look in the closet. What outfits do you think Daddy should bring on this trip? Which ones do you like the best?” Quite frankly, there was not one piece of clothing he owned that Hunter liked wearing. None of them reflected the style he used to have, the one before he met Caroline. He missed that style. At least if Ryleigh gave her opinion, she would have her favorites—something familiar—until he was able to purchase a new wardrobe.

Ryleigh’s excitement quadrupled now that she’d been given a task. She squeaked happily before leaping from the bed and darting into her parents’ large closet, which was mainly dominated by her mother’s things.   
  
Ryleigh was confident that she could remove her choices from their hangers all by herself, standing on her tiptoes and reaching up as far as she could. Realizing there was no way she would ever reach the hanger itself, she opted for plan B, which was to simply yank a shirt down by the sleeve. After a few tries, it got the job done. The grey and black plaid button-down that her father wore more than any other came tumbling down, but so did the hanger, which knocked the girl smack-dab on the top of the head.

Ryleigh’s first reaction was to either shout or let out a wail, but she did neither. She was a big girl. She didn’t have to cry. Instead, she gritted her teeth, made the biggest pout she could manage, and sat down on the floor. No crying. She was a big girl. It was okay. She didn’t need to be a _baby_ and give her father more to deal with, did she?

Hunter was lost in his own head, and because of this, it was a few moments before he noticed that a considerable time had passed. When he did finally turn around to check up on his daughter’s progress, he saw the aftermath of what had happened. Ryleigh was sitting on the floor, clutching what he assumed was an “owie.”

“Ryleigh?!” he exclaimed as he rushed into the closet and brought himself down to her level, sitting next to her. “What happened, darlin’?!” With what was left of his strength, he pulled the blue-eyed girl into his lap, cradling her head against his chest. “Are you okay?”

Now that her father was there with her, Ryleigh had to put her full effort into keeping her tears at bay, feeling the need to show him that she was a big girl. Her father didn’t cry when he was bumped with something, so she didn’t want to either. At the man’s line of questioning, she merely pointed to the wooden clothes hanger on the floor, knowing that if she made any attempt to speak, she’d start crying.

Once the dots connected in his brain, Hunter let out a wince of sympathy. “Ouch,” he confirmed, gently brushing Ryleigh’s hands away from her scalp and replacing it with his own before softly rubbing the affected area. “My poor girl,” he hummed, silently noting to himself the fact that her bottom lip was beginning to quake. “What would make it better, hm? Kisses?” As he asked this, he knew softening Ryleigh up a bit (or a lot) would have to be added to the many things on his already incredibly long list of things to change in their new life. No little girl should have to put on a strong face when she was hurt, especially not _his_ little girl. “Would kisses fix your boo-boo?”

Ryleigh wrapped her arms tightly around her father’s neck for comfort, squeezing him just as she’d squeeze one of her stuffed animals. She nodded against his chest in response to his questioning, and once she felt like she could speak without breaking into tears, she added in a mumble and with a sniffle, “Thirty-eight kisses please, Daddy.”

Hunter had been homeschooling Ryleigh since the previous month, the start of a normal school year. Most recently, they were working on counting to numbers past twenty, and the girl had picked it up in no time. Now that she was tackling the larger numbers, just as she did with the previous set, she always requested things in a quantity she was practicing.

“Thirty-eight kisses?” Hunter echoed with a faux-surprised gasp, but the way he leaned down and smiled against her scalp told her that she was going to get them no matter how shocked he seemed. “Well, okaaaay. My lips’ll be mighty tired, but I suppose it’s worth it if it’ll make my princess feel better. You ready? Here we go.”

With that, Mr. Lockwood began planting kisses on his only child’s head, counting them out aloud as he went. He started off slowly and with worrying care, his intent to keep Ryleigh from bursting into tears and to cheer her up. But after sneaking glances at her facial expression, he was able to gauge that she was slowly but surely feeling better, and his attention could shift towards making her smile. Once that was established, he drastically increased the pacing of his kisses, becoming somewhat of a kissing madman.

Just as he’d hoped, this elicited grins, and soon enough, giggles. Hearing them and listening to his success, Hunter was able to shove the feeling that they were wasting time aside. First of all, no time spent with Ryleigh would ever be a waste, and besides, they had hours to do what needed doing. As long as Caroline didn’t pop in for a surprise visit, they were in the clear. Despite his fears, Hunter slowed down and began to pant to show the little girl that he was getting “tired.” “...Thirty. Thirty-one. Huh… Whew. Thirty-two. Oh, I’m so tired. But I can do it ‘cause my Ryleigh needs **thirty-eight** kisses _exactly_. Not _one_ less. Here we go.” He drew in a huge, exaggerated breath that painfully brought his attention to his bruised ribs. “—...Aaaaand thirty-eight _whole_ kisses! Did it work?” he inquired hopefully, adjusting himself to be able to look Ryleigh in the eye. “Is my Ryleigh all better?”

Just as her father pretended to be, Ryleigh was out of breath, though her predicament was due to a frantic fit of giggles brought on by the man’s silliness. When he had finished giving her the requested amount of kisses, though, she insisted, “No, daddy. You missed one.” She knew that wasn’t the case, but wanted to see just how far she could push things. “One more!”

Hunter knew for a fact that he had not missed a single kiss. He knew that Ryleigh was trying to milk as much out of the moment as she could, and he couldn’t blame her. She had been affection-starved since the previous evening. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I?” he asked, though he knew full well that he hadn’t. “Here.” He placed one final kiss on top of her head. “Is _that_ better?” he questioned again.

Ryleigh looked up at him and bat her eyelashes in a way that he had come to realize meant she was about to ask for something. But after a moment, the girl surprised him by simply nodding. “All better,” she said with a small smile.

“Okay, now,” Hunter hummed, clapping his hands together a single time, as Ryleigh had come to know him to do. “Let’s get this show on the road.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely good_mythical_maddi for betaing this chapter!

For the next while, Hunter and Ryleigh went around packing up their belongings. This included but wasn’t limited to clothes, towels, and toiletries as well as documentation of their new identities, a safety measure taken to make it harder for Caroline (and, inevitably, the police) to find them.

Ryleigh did a better job than Hunter expected in packing. Though, at first, her idea of folding was balling up clothing and tossing it in the suitcase, she was a quick learner when Hunter showed her how to do it properly. Though she was very slow when folding the right way, the extra minutes it took was worth it since he got to spend them with her, especially with how excited and proud of herself she got when she finally did it correctly. He wasn’t sure how much time they’d get together once she was in school and he started his job.

Once all of their clothing and such had been packed, Hunter, who was now in Ryleigh’s bedroom, left it and her with the instruction to pick out one stuffed animal (which was all they had room for) to put in the suitcase while he handled other things in his room.

Like himself, Ryleigh was indecisive, especially when it came to her stuffed animals. He knew that that “very special” task would buy him some time to handle some of the adult aspects of their trip.

When Hunter got back to his and Caroline’s bedroom, he looked around, marking off things on his mental checklist. Had he gotten everything he needed? Was there anything left to take?

Lost in his thoughts, his eye caught the bookcase in the corner, the one that held not only reading books, but also photo albums and Ryleigh’s baby book.

He found himself walking over to it before he could stop his feet, and soon, he was cross legged on the floor, surrounded by pictures of memories. Dates with Caroline, Ryleigh’s first birthday, the day she was born. The day he met the love of his life (he’d insisted on taking a picture; that was in his photography phase). Their entire lives laid out right before him.

Looking at the photographs got Hunter thinking, for what must have been the millionth time since he’d concocted this plan, about how much they were leaving behind. They were leaving behind **years** of memories, years of laughter. People they loved.

He wanted to take the pictures to help him remember the good times, because often, that was the most difficult part. Sometimes, he needed reminders that they had happened. But admiring them, he knew that he couldn’t take them with him. He was leaving things behind, but he was also taking something with him, something very important. Ryleigh.

Hunter would get Ryleigh, get to live a life with her, get to make _new_ memories with her. The memories of the past would be all that Caroline had left of them, of _her._ He couldn’t be so cruel as to take the only thing she’d have left, especially not with how badly he was already going to be hurting her.

So, he took a minute just to absorb it all, to take it all in and try to commit his favorite photos to memory. And then slowly but surely, he put them back on the shelf and stood, making his way to his final task: packing the money that he had saved.

It was hidden in the closet beneath a floorboard that had been jammed for the longest time. It was in the corner and only popped up when you went about opening it in a very specific way, and it was these things that made it the perfect hiding place. He’d had it for years, now, and Caroline was none the wiser.

To make it easier on his girlfriend, since Hunter had more time on his hands than she did, he handled the finances. Filed their taxes, did their budgeting, deposited checks… That had always been his job. As a result, it was relatively easy for him to skim money out of their joint account without her noticing.

He’d always had a stash of money under that floorboard. He’d originally had it for emergencies, when he needed money and couldn’t get it anywhere else. A rainy day fund, if you will. It was just nice to have money that was his and only his, that was all. He hadn’t started saving for their departure until about a year before, and he hadn’t started saving **seriously** until a few months ago.

It was easier to do than he expected, too. He’d take money off the top of change when he picked up a few things at the store, first of all. That was his main method, skimming off the top of shopping money, or money that he took out of the account for when he and Ry went on field trips. Money that was easy to explain away. After all, he handled the taxes, and Caroline rarely asked to see receipts. When she did happen to see them, it was simple to say that he had stuck the rest of the change in a different pocket and hand it right over.

His second source of income was money from his parents. Oftentimes, they’d slip him a few dollars to “get some brighter clothes, kiddo” or to “put something in that stomach of yours, darlin’. _South_ Carolina can hear it rumbling.” But he never did. He just tucked it away.

The third was birthday and Christmas money, which, in past years, would just go into the account. He wasn’t sure why his relatives still sent him cash in his cards; really, at his age, it should be taken as an insult, but he chose not to see it that way. He would just thank them for the kind gift and move on, this year depositing it straight into the floorboard bank.

The last method, he felt the worst about. It was, of course, **stealing** from Caroline by taking money from her sockdrawer. Her birthday had just passed, so there was some stashed away that he conveniently hadn’t gotten around to depositing yet, of course along with _her_ rainy day fund. But she had always said that it wasn’t her money, it was _their_ money. Besides, he had always put his birthday money in the joint account and it ended up being used for groceries or other things the house needed anyway, so this was like getting his own money back.

Maybe that was just him trying to justify a less than kind move. But she had a job, and he, at least until he started it once they got to Los Angeles and he got Ryleigh settled in school, did not. He couldn’t start his until their daughter was squared away, and getting across the country, finding lodging until they took possession of their apartment, _paying_ for that apartment, and Heaven only knew what else, all that was expensive. He needed it more than she did. Anyway, he was certain that being out some cash wouldn’t be her main concern once they were gone.

Somehow, the accumulation of all that totaled five grand. He knew, looking at it, that it would go quickly despite it seeming like a lot as he packed it. The expenses ahead of him would be an avalanche, and he certainly didn’t feel prepared for them as they whirled by in his head. But, thankfully, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it for as he finished up packing the money safely away, in came Ryleigh.

The problem was that, even though he could tell it was her, Hunter couldn’t see his daughter’s face, or even anything above her waist. That was, of course, because she was carrying a truckload worth of stuffed animals.

When Hunter turned to her and saw what she was holding, his eyes widened to a comical size and so did his smile. “Ryleigh Rae, I said you could pick _one_ stuffie to bring with us, not ten gazillion.”

In response, Ryleigh opened her arms and let the stuffed animals fall onto the floor. “I can’t choose, Daddy! I love _all_ my stuffies!”

“I know, darlin’. But, I said you could pick one because we don’t have room for much else. I’m sorry.” Feeling the need to somehow soften the blow, he added, “I’ll tell you what: you can pick out two stuffies. One for each arm. So which two do you want?”

Ryleigh looked down at the pile of stuffed animals in front of her and frowned at the thought of having to leave the majority of them behind. She let out a soft sigh before mumbling, “Shit…”

“ _Ryleigh,_ ” Hunter said, his voice more firm than it had a moment ago, but not so much so that she thought he was angry with her. This wasn’t her fault; that blame only lay at the feet of her parents (and how they hadn’t taught her that those words were for adults only). “Do you remember what I told you about words like those last night?”

Ryleigh looked to the floor in shame as her father told her yet again not to use the words that she so often heard her mother say. It never felt good to to know she’d done something that disappointed Hunter, the person she loved most in the world. She stepped forward and hugged his legs, mumbling, “I’m sorry, Daddy…” Before the man could respond, she let go and began sifting through the pile of toys to pick out the two she was allowed to bring.

Hunter scrubbed his hands over his face in exhaustion. Ryleigh had always been such a good girl; she’d always hated to disappoint him. But she hadn’t. He was disappointed, yes, but only in himself and with and his own failings. But of course, he couldn’t tell her that. He couldn’t tell her that it wasn’t her fault; to do that, he would have to let her know that even though it wasn’t _her_ fault, it was _a_ fault. The only thing he could do in that moment was to tell her that he forgave her and to try her best to keep from doing it again, and not to punish herself over it. That was all either of them could do, wasn’t it?

She thought she had made her choice a few times, but changed her mind time and time again, until finally deciding on Ellie and Raffy, her elephant and giraffe stuffed animals. Raffy, short for Giraffe, had been the unique toy Hunter had bought in the gift shop of the hospital the day Ryleigh was born, as they’d unexpectedly been sold out of the typical teddy bears. “Raffy wants Ellie to come since they’re from the same place,” she said in a quiet yet matter-of-fact tone.

It wasn’t long ago that Ryleigh and Hunter had watched a few kids’ nature programs together, and Ry’s favorite had been the Africa episode. The fact was fresh in her mind, so while Ellie certainly wasn’t her favorite of the stuffies in her pile, it only seemed right to bring her elephant to keep her giraffe company. She clutched both of the toys tightly, looking up at Hunter with wide eyes. “Ellie and Raffy are gonna miss everyone,” she whispered.

“I know, sugar,” Hunter sighed, crouching down to her level before rocking slightly forward on the balls of his feet to gently kiss her forehead. He wanted to assure her that it was okay, that they’d be back soon or that they could go on the next trip, but he couldn't—and that **killed** him. So, he simply said, “But you know what? Everybody still has a few minutes together while we finish packing.” Hunter then stood back up and returned to packing the suitcase and bag before he had an idea. “Hey, Ry? How about you go downstairs and pick out some snacks for our trip? We don’t want to get hungry!”

Ryleigh nodded at her father’s words, placing Ellie and Raffy back on the ground with the other stuffies so they could “talk” with one another for the last time before they left for their trip. She then headed down the stairs to the kitchen in order to find the snack cupboard, struggled to reach high enough to open it, eventually managing and beginning to search through her options. Caroline insisted that a good portion of the snacks given to Ryleigh were of a healthy nature, so their cupboard was full of high-fiber granola bars, all natural fruit chews, and other things of that variety. Grabbing a few of her favorite types, she put them in a pile next to her on the floor.

Meanwhile, Hunter was busy upstairs penning a letter. He stored it on his phone, the full finished draft, but here and now, it was time to write it out on paper. Caroline deserved better than a text message.

His hand shook as he wrote it, and tears fell on the paper as his pen flowed. He shouldn’t have to say a word of this. He should be a man and fix things, do what he had to do to make their relationship good enough that he didn’t have to leave. But he wasn’t. So, they were left with this, but it didn’t mean she deserved it any more.

He couldn’t imagine the waves of horror, of disbelief, of sadness, of _despair_ that she’d experience when finding the house empty, when coming upstairs and reading this note. But as he wrote it, he tried not to think about that. If he did, it might just get him to stay.

Once finished, he put it an an envelope with her name on it and set it on the bed before he wiped his tears, zipped up the suitcases and brought them downstairs, hoping that Ryleigh hadn’t made too much of a mess in the kitchen. He hadn’t heard any crashes, so that was a good sign at the very least.

Just as Hunter arrived, Ryleigh grabbed one last granola bar and said, “This one’s for Raffy and Ellie. They need a snack, too!”

“Of course they do,” Hunter placated, picking up the pile of snacks and putting them away in the girl’s luggage. He then turned to the fridge and grabbed a trio of water bottles, filling the remaining slots in the baggage and zipping it up before he thought of anything else they needed to include. “All right, we’re all set. Why don’t you take Raff and Ellie and go get your shoes on? We’re gonna take a walk to Nana and Pop Pop’s house so we can borrow their car.” There was no way they could get to the bus station on foot in enough time to leave unscathed (or at all), and Caroline had driven their only car to work. Their only chance was his mom and dad. “It’s too far to Flintstone it, kiddo.”

Ryleigh’s eyes widened with excitement upon hearing she was going to see her grandparents. She adored her Nana and Pop Pop, so she wasted no time in sweeping Raffy and Ellie up tightly in her arms and running off to find her favorite pair of shoes: a pink pair of kids’ Converse high tops. Still too young to have her own developed style, most of the girl’s wardrobe had been picked out by her mother, who loved dressing her up in anything considered “girly,” although the sneakers were one of a few “tomboyish” exceptions due to their color.

Ryleigh still wasn’t great at tying her own shoes, but that didn’t stop her from trying. Raffy and Ellie on the floor, she sat down next to them and pulled on the sneakers, managing to get her feet in the correct shoes. However, when it came to tying the laces, she ended up with a mess of knots on each foot. Deciding it was good enough, she grabbed her stuffies and ran back to her father. “I’m ready for Nana and Pop Pop, Daddy!” she grinned, bouncing up and down happily.

It was ingrained into Hunter’s brain to look to the girl’s feet first, knowing he would most likely need to fix her laces before going anywhere. “Ah, ah. I don’t think so, missy. You’ll fall flat on your face with a job like that. Hop up here.” ‘Here’, as Hunter directed, was a high-backed chair at the kitchen’s island, a seat in which Ryleigh greatly enjoyed sitting as she was able to overlook the **whole** room. Now, though, it was just a convenience so she could rest her feet on Hunter’s thigh as he fixed what she had done.

Hunter managed to get the knots under control in no time. He quickly double knotted them, reminding himself to give her a tutorial on the bus later. He was sure they’d have plenty of practice time, as they had three days of almost nothing else ahead of them. “ **Now** you’re ready for Nana and Pop Pop.”

Ryleigh jumped off the chair and ran to the door, stuffies still in her arms. “Let’s go, Daddy!” she cheered, still bouncing excitedly.

Hunter grabbed their luggage and followed her into the entryway of the home. Once he got there, he froze.

“Daddy, let’s go!” Ryleigh repeated, retracing her steps slightly so that she was next to him. She tugged on the hem of his shirt impatiently, but when it barely elicited a reaction, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Setting Raffy and Ellie by the front door, she returned to where her father stood to attempt to drag the suitcase to the door by herself, despite it being bigger than she was. Being as determined as she was, she put all of her strength into inching the luggage across the floor. Halfway to the exit, however, she tripped and fell backwards with the effort. Not making any immediate movements, she frowned and stared up at Hunter, wondering why he didn’t seem very bothered to leave, or bothered as to her falling. He **always** came to the rescue, even if she insisted she wasn’t hurt. “Nana and Pop Pop are waiting,” she whined softly. His abrupt change in demeanor worried her. **All** morning, he had seemed more or less pleasant, eager to get out of the house for their trip, but now he was acting like he didn’t want to leave at all. He refused to even respond when she called out to him.

Standing in the foyer, Hunter had become entranced. He’d been fine in all the other rooms of the home, but _here_ froze him. The fact that Ryleigh was speaking his name didn’t even register in his brain. It was as if she wasn’t there at all. Of course, he knew she was there and they were about to leave together, but her voice was lost in the air that they shared.

Here he was, at the front door, leaving. Yes. Sure. He was leaving behind getting lied to, beaten, hurt. He was leaving behind tearful fits, begging for his life, pleading for a change that would never come. He was leaving behind dents in the walls, blood spilled on the floor, and bones broken in the silence. But he was saying goodbye to so much more than that. He was leaving behind the **home** that they had made together. The door right behind him was the one he walked through with their daughter, their miracle child, the day they brought her home from the hospital. Hunter was leaving behind good. But by this point, where was it? Where was his good, because it certainly wasn’t with Caroline. The only good that he had anymore, he was taking with him. The rest was only memories. [(x)](https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/52788292_300638953931648_744766119608320000_n.png?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=a2a0fd2e29f92c7e615222272c9aeae3&oe=5D23B844)

“What?” One last-ditch, frankly defeated shout from the man’s last remaining ray of sun is what brought him out of his own head. “Right. Nana and Pop Pop. Let’s head out.”

Pulling the handle out so he could roll the suitcase, Hunter opened the door that once produced a smiling face and stepped out with all he had to his broken name. Helping Ryleigh down the stairs and proceeding to walk away, though, he found himself whispering, his heart heavier than he felt he had the right to justify, “Goodbye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thank you to the wonderful magicbubblepipe for doing the art for this fic, and for the quality work and quick turnaround whenever we need him!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to a-smut-sundae and good-mythical-maddi for betaing this chapter!

**Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 10:45 AM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

Ryleigh was playfully jumping from crack to crack on the sidewalk, happy to be out on an adventure. Catching sight of her grandparents’ home just a few buildings down, she left her father’s side and rushed off ahead in excitement. She leapt up onto the familiar front porch and stood on her tiptoes to reach the doorbell, pressing it repeatedly. “Nana and Pop Pop!” she yelled happily, hoping they could hear her from inside. After yelling at her father to hurry up as she quickly grew impatient and what felt like the millionth ring of the bell, the door finally opened. “NANA!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around the woman’s legs. “Daddy is taking me on a trip!”

“Oh, is that so?” Hunter’s mother, Sue, questioned with a wide smile, leaning down to return her only grandchild’s hug. It was a wonderful surprise for Ryleigh to be at her doorstep. She typically only saw her grandchild (and Hunter, for that matter) on Sundays at and following church services yesterday. Seeing them two days in a row was like seeing a Sasquatch. The woman had the feeling that Hunter only stopped by to ask a favor, but that was okay with her. Any time she could spend with him and Ryleigh without Caroline was a blessing in her mind. “Well, the sun is shinin’, the skies are blue… It’s a very nice day for a trip, sugar.” Sue paused to wave happily at her son, who had just left luggage on the driveway and was now making his way to the porch as well. “Where are you and your daddy headed? Anywhere fun?” Although she was looking at Ryleigh as she spoke, it was clear that she was actually asking Hunter. If suitcases were in the mix, the trip must be a lengthy one. Sue hoped it would be fun, as Ryleigh deserved all the fun she could get while she still had her childhood.

With the questioning, Ryleigh remembered that she didn’t actually know where they were headed. “I don’t know, Nana! Daddy said it was a surprise!” she enthused.

“Daddy, can I know yet?” the girl pleaded to her father. “Please, please, pleeeeaaaaase?” She was energetically bouncing up and down again, hands pressed together as she begged Hunter for more information. Without waiting for a response, she turned back to her grandmother and whispered, loudly enough that Hunter could also hear, as she glanced down to her two stuffies tucked tightly under her arms, “Raffy and Ellie don’t like surprises.”

“Very soon,” Hunter assured, hoping that it would be enough to hold her off. “Until then, why don’t you run on inside and find Pop Pop while I talk with Nana for a second?”

No matter how much he loved and adored Ryleigh, he didn’t want his last moment with his mother to be spent resisting being dragged away to a trip that, unbeknownst to the advocate, would never end. He only got one goodbye, and he’d be damned if it was ruined. Thankfully, Ryleigh failed to give him trouble and was gone without argument. Hunter wanted to ask to come inside, too, if he was being honest with himself. He wanted to sit down in the living room, to have a cup of coffee, and to be offered three days’ worth of calories in one meal because his mother always had that much food on hand and he likely wouldn’t see that much of it in one place for a very long time. He wanted to talk and laugh and spend an eternity there, but he couldn’t. If he did, his mother would catch on to the fact that something was up. He’d be pressed for details, be begged to stay and, “work this out with the authorities, baby,” and that just couldn’t happen. It had to happen like this, because the only other option was death. So he was left on the porch, a space typically reserved for warm greetings. Today it just felt cold, especially with the skipped formalities. He knew she was glad to see him. Knew how she was feeling and how things were going. They had just spoken yesterday. Not much could have changed. The less time spent with her, the less chance he had of breaking down, so it was for the better. “Hi, mom,” he bid, smiling and hoping that she couldn’t tell just how forced it was. “I’m sorry to just drop in like this. I know you taught me better than to give no notice… But if you don’t mind, I need to ask you a favor.”

The warm smile she’d had on her face when she greeted her son fell after a moment. She knew Hunter and was able to read him like an open book. Something obviously had him anxious. She hoped it was something minor, like the possibility of Ryleigh running off in one direction or another on their vacation—something every parent of a young child worries about. She cupped her son’s cheek and, making strong eye contact in an attempt to reassure him, asked, “What do you need, hon? Anything you need.”

Hunter had to resist the urge to pull away and look elsewhere as Sue essentially stared him down, knowing it was an attempt to get him to spill his guts. He had to keep eye contact, not only to present a strong, confident front, but also to sear the sight of her in his brain so that he could recall the memory later. “The trip that Ry’s goin’ on about is out of town. Would you mind if I borrowed your car? Caroline has ours at work,” he explained. “You’ll get it back, of course.” One way or the other, anyway. “I’d really appreciate it, mom.”

“Of course you can borrow it sugar,” Sue nodded. “You can keep it however long you need.” She turned into the entryway before looking back at her son. “Don’t be a stranger. Come on inside while I get the key. Say hi to your father,” she smiled sweetly before disappearing into the home, calling back, “I made cookies last night! You and Ryleigh should take a few for the road!” Sue was a typical southern mother and grandmother, so whenever she saw her family, she couldn’t help but offer them some amount of food. The habit only increased in recent years, as it was obvious to her that Hunter was losing weight that he didn’t quite have to lose in the first place. It’d be wrong of her not to at least make an effort to help him gain it back.

Having heard his wife, Hunter’s father called his name. “Boy, you better come get some of these cookies! Lord knows I don’t need to be eatin’ all of ‘em!”

Ryleigh, for her part, was already sitting in her grandfather’s huge recliner with Ellie and Raffy eating her second cookie of the day, a glass of milk in her free hand. “They’re chocolate chip, Daddy!” she exclaimed through a mouthful.

As the adults made some brief small-talk, Ryleigh was in her own world, imagination running wild as she sat with her stuffies and ate the first cookies she’d had in ages. The word “healthy” coming from her father’s mouth brought her back to reality, as it was a word she’d often hear her mother say. Ryleigh knew it was against the rules for her to eat something sugary like cookies so early in the morning. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach at the thought of breaking the rules and put what was left of her treat on Raffy’s legs. “Daddy, I’m not allowed to eat the cookie, am I?” she asked softly. She knew that if her mommy were to find out she’d eaten sweets so early, Hunter would get yelled at, and she didn’t want anyone to get into trouble because of something she did. “I’m sorry I ate the cookie… Raffy can have the rest…”

Leroy narrowed his eyes upon hearing his granddaughter’s concerned tone over something as trivial as eating a cookie. “The girl isn’t allowed to eat a cookie? What’s Caroline trying to do to her?” he questioned, speaking as if Ryleigh wasn’t present. “The girl’s five years old, she should be allowed a treat!”

“Of course you’re allowed to eat the cookie, darlin’,” Hunter said softly, choosing to ignore his father altogether. The man had always hated Caroline, and had always been vocal about it too. Hunter didn’t want to get into an argument about it, especially not in front of Ryleigh. Typically, Hunter would do a ‘shush’ motion with his hand to tell his daughter that it’d be their little secret, but today, moreso to appease his father than to get a point across to Ryleigh, he added, “I’m your parent too, and if I say it’s okay, it is. You’re allowed to eat the cookie this early. You eat healthy enough. You deserve a treat.” He then turned back to his father. “Moving on. How are things with you, dad?”

Leroy mumbled some annoyed words under his breath, but kept them quiet enough that the guests couldn’t hear. “I’m doin’ just fine, kiddo. I helped the neighbors fix up their tractor the other day and might go back this afternoon. What brings you and the little one over?” he asked, not having heard the conversation between Hunter and Sue.

“We just needed to borrow the car,” Hunter repeated. “There’s somethin’ cool out of town I thought Ry’d enjoy, and I’m sure she’d love to tell you all about it, but she can’t because it’s a _surprise_.” Unfortunately, Ryleigh didn’t look like she was even going to try to tell her grandfather what the deal was. Maybe he would have to take his mother up on the offer to take some cookies for the road. There was always a chance that he could talk his daughter into having some at a later time. Speaking of his mother, what was taking her so long to grab those keys? Knowing her, she was probably just trying to buy her husband more time to see his son, and he couldn’t blame her. He wanted it too. But even still, he had to wonder what excuse she’d try to make for being a while. They all knew good and damn well that the keys had had their same place right in the kitchen since before he was born. “Mom’s just gone to grab me the keys.”

“Aaaah,” Leroy nodded in acknowledgment. He turned to Ryleigh and patted her on the knee before taking on a more lighthearted tone. “Your Pop’s takin’ ya on a fun adventure, huh, darlin’?”

The change to a positive tone immediately brought back Ryleigh’s prior excitement; it was as if the previous part of the conversation hadn’t even happened. She shot upright and nodded quickly. “Yeah!”

After a moment of chatting pleasantly with the girl, Leroy called out into the home, “Sue, the boy and Ryleigh are gonna be late to whatever they’re going to if ya don’t hurry up with those keys!”

“Oh, hush up!” Sue responded, walking into the living room with two brown paper bags. She couldn’t help but make her son and granddaughter lunch for their journey, feeling as if the cookies weren’t enough. Knowing that Hunter would argue against taking the extra food, she’d hidden the car keys at the bottom of his bag in an attempt to force it on him. “The car keys are hidden somewhere in your delicious home cooked lunch, sweetie. I even threw in an extra biscuit. I baked ‘em fresh last night.” She handed Ryleigh her own bag and kissed the girl on the top of the head. “Have fun on your trip!”

Seeing the lunches, Hunter smiled a small smile. If there was one thing he loved most in the world—beside his parents and Ryleigh, of course—it was his mother’s cooking, and he’d be damned if he didn’t taste it one last time. “Thanks, mom,” he replied, laughing at the hidden keys. “You’re the best. Dad’s right, though. We should get going.” With that, he unrolled the top of his brown paper bag to peek in before looking up at Sue with a frighteningly betrayed expression on his face. “Mom, you forgot the best part!” Just as she started to worry, he grinned and supplied, “My hug goodbye.”

Sue laughed at her son’s joke and threw her arms open wide, pulling him into the tightest hug she’d given him in weeks, which was saying a lot. She liked to hug people in general, but of course her family got the biggest ones. “I love ya so much, sweetheart. I hope you and Ryleigh have fun together,” she said softly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Ryleigh jumped off of her spot in the recliner and asked, “Nana, can I have a goodbye hug, too?”

Sue laughed and leaned down to give her granddaughter a hug just as tight as the one she’d given her son. “Of course ya can, darlin’! I’d _never_ forget about _your_ hug! You gotta promise me you’ll have fun with your daddy, okay?”

Ryleigh nodded, extremely determined to have fun wherever it was that she was going. She started to march towards the door with her lunch in hand, but without her stuffed animals. “Let’s go, Daddy! We’re gonna be late for our trip!” she said, mimicking the adults.

Noticing that she’d left her friends behind, Hunter scooped Raffy and Ellie off of his father’s favorite chair. It was always ‘Daddy to the rescue’ with things like that. “We have another second, baby. Don’t worry, I won’t let us be late. But you’ve gone completely silly if you think I’m leaving before I get my hug from Pop Pop.” Would Leroy think it was weird if he hugged him goodbye? No, of course he wouldn’t think it was **weird** . That would just be Hunter overthinking things because he was anxious about their trip. They hugged all the time! It would be fine! It wouldn’t raise suspicion because it happened often enough that it wasn’t odd, but his standing around _pondering_ it very well might. Leroy, having heard Hunter’s words to his daughter, already had his arms open, so, with a restless sigh from Ryleigh, the thirty-nine year old just went for it. He held on for longer than he probably should have, but couldn’t bring himself to pull away until his mind screamed **too much** , and he knew it was probably childish and downright impractical, but he was already making promises to himself not to wash this shirt so their scents were still there when he needed them. Otherwise, those would quickly vanish just like their arms had. “All right, guys, we’re heading out,” he said, forcing himself to hide the sadness in his voice. “Thanks for the car and our amazing lunch! Love you!” And then, just like that, it was over.

Ryleigh was standing eagerly next to the car, waiting patiently for Hunter to unlock the doors so she could climb inside. However, when she saw him approaching with Ellie and Raffy, she gasped and ran back to him. “I almost lost them, Daddy!” she yelled in distress, grabbing the toys and squeezing them. “They would’ve been so sad!”

Sue and Leroy appeared on the porch a moment later in order to watch the pair drive off. It was a habit of theirs, always wanting to see their loved ones off safely. Of course, they were unaware that this could potentially be the very last time that they saw their son and granddaughter. For all they knew, they’d be seeing them on Sunday at church. Regardless, they planned on standing there in the doorway waving until the car disappeared down the street, and nothing would pull them away.

“Let’s go, Daddy! Ellie and Raffy are ready! I wanna see the surprise!” Ryleigh exclaimed happily.

It wasn’t long before Ryleigh was in the backseat and Hunter had strapped her in and closed the door. Coming around to the driver’s side, he opened the door before climbing in and placing his lunch on the passenger’s seat. What he **really** wanted to do was run back up onto the porch and get a second round of hugs. Instead, he closed his own door, buckled himself up, and inserted the key into the ignition, giving a wave and a smile to his parents before putting the car into gear, pulling out of the driveway, and out onto the street, leaving their home in the rearview mirror as he headed in the direction of their new life.

Ryleigh happily squeezed Ellie and Raffy tightly as they began their journey and she continued to nibble on her cookie once again. After getting down a bite, she asked, “Daddy, can I know the surprise yet?”

Looking in the rearview mirror so that he could quickly lock eyes with his daughter, Hunter shook his head. He had to try harder than ever to make his voice sound playful when he told her, “For the last time, buddy, you have to _wait_ ,” because all of the asking was starting to get on his nerves. He knew it shouldn’t. Just a little while ago, he’d thought it was cute. She was little and simply excited, and had the right to be. But right now, he was extremely stressed and easily irritated. How couldn’t he be after he just felt as if he’d been shot in the heart? Luckily, he managed to keep it together. “But I’ll tell you what. It’s so far that we have to take a bus to get there, okay?”

But… They had Nana and Pop Pop’s car. What did they need the bus for? Hunter prayed that Ryleigh didn’t notice the hole in his logic. “And once we get to the bus station, that’s when I’ll tell you where we’re going.” He had realized that he couldn’t wait until he was buying tickets. If he told her what was going on out in the open, somebody would very likely overhear and report him to the authorities. It would be best to explain when they were still in the privacy of their own vehicle. “How about we put on some music to pass the time?”

Ryleigh was certainly growing increasingly impatient as time passed, but the new information—that she’d get to ride on a bus—bought Hunter some extra time. Once again, her excitement grew; the mystery was all too much to handle. She began running through all the different far-away places her father might want to take her in her mind, and one stood out in particular. Brain full of images she’d remembered from the nature documentary she’d watched with her father, she squeezed Ellie and Raffy even tighter and asked, “Daddy, are we taking a bus to Africa?!” She’d hoped she was right, and that she’d get to show her stuffies where they came from.

“No, no,” he replied, taking a left turn. “You need to go on a plane to get to Africa since it’s across an ocean. Where we’re headed is a bit closer than that.” Hunter was grateful for the extra time that his selective disclosure had earned him, but he knew it wouldn’t be very long before she asked again. “Maybe someday, though.”

Ryleigh managed to sit in silence for a few minutes, but a few minutes was all she could stand. “Why are we going on a trip, Daddy?” she questioned sweetly. She hadn’t thought to ask him until that moment. Ryleigh was so eager to be going somewhere that she couldn’t drop the subject. She just wanted to know **everything** there was to know about what they were doing, but her father wasn’t giving her any information. The girl definitely picked up on the fact that, as time passed, Hunter was getting less and less talkative. She wasn’t sure he’d even heard her question over the radio.

Meanwhile, the reality of the situation had had plenty of time to sink in for Hunter. Their escape had been a long time in the making, and he had had some time to resign himself to the fact that they were leaving and never coming back. But whether it was because he hadn’t had the chance or because the sheer gravity of it hadn’t hit him until now, the man had yet to shed any tears. Here in the car, with Ryleigh in the backseat, he had no privacy to let his emotions out. She didn’t need to bear the burden of seeing him break down. He was supposed to be there for her when she cried, not the other way around. It was bad enough that she had to witness her mother treating him the way she did. He had hoped that the radio would be able to give him something else to focus on, so he could stop the tears at one or two strays before it escalated into a full blown sobbing fit. And it did work for a little while. The thoughts were quieter when he could follow along to lyrics that he knew like the back of his hand. Usually, he would sing along when “the oldies” came on and he and Ryleigh were alone, so the way that all she could hear in the vehicle was the sound of _Al Green’s_ voice and not her father’s worried her even further. Today, he was just silent, trying to ward away images that were making him want to turn the car around and call this whole thing off. He remained speechless, attempting to postpone mourning for things that he was losing, ones that he hadn’t considered before. Little details that made all the difference. The first snow of the winter, or snowfall to begin with. Quiet walks, **silent** walks, with Ryleigh in the late mornings. Being able to have peace as they enjoyed nature together without noise pollution or a dense population surrounding them at all times. Knowing his neighbors and having a sense of community. Being able to navigate his town blindfolded and deafened because he was so familiar with it after having lived in those same two square miles for almost **four decades**. Having a sense of **security** , feeling **safe** where he was, even if that feeling only lasted until _she_ had returned.

Los Angeles was going to be an entirely different ballgame. It was a _massive_ metropolitan city. One where somebody can never rest because cars are always going and lights are always on. One where almost everybody was a stranger because the place was too big to be able to know more than a handful of fellow residents intimately. Hunter was coming from a place where pretty much everybody knew him from the day he was born, or at the very least from childhood. In Los Angeles, he’d be an outsider and know nobody at all. Of course, this was a good countermeasure as far as the likely impending manhunt for he and Ryleigh was concerned, because anybody that knew Hunter Lockwood knew that he enjoyed small town living, but it definitely didn’t provide him with any comfort. Los Angeles was meant to be a refuge—a safe haven from their former life. He knew (or at the very least hoped like hell) that it would be, but now that he was really thinking about it, he was _terrified_. Nothing could **be** more daunting than being thrown alone into a location he’d never been without the assurance that he’d be able to return to familiarity. However, while he still wasn’t far enough out of town that it was impractical to turn around, and especially with his daughter along for the ride, it was not the time to think about it. He could deal with his fears when they were actually there and she was asleep. When it was too late to turn back.

Unfortunately, the task of saving his thoughts for a later date grew from hard to extremely difficult to downright impossible. Things just kept coming to him, hitting him one after another without relent, bombarding him mercilessly until water filled his eyes and _spilled_ and _poured_ until he had no chance on Earth of forcing it back.

“ **Dammit**!” he swore, hitting the outer circle of the steering wheel with an open palm before using that same hand to furiously swipe away the evidence of upset. Yeah, he knew that he had spent part of the morning telling Ryleigh that cussing was bad, and **yeah** he knew he should be the one setting a good example, but the word just… _came out_. “ _Dammit_ ,” he said again, softer this time (that one being to keep him from saying something worse), swinging a right and hoping that he was still on the correct path to the bus station.

At the sound of her father cursing, Ryleigh jumped slightly in surprise. Hunter **never** cursed, or, at least not when he thought she could hear him. That was all her mother. He was the one that always tried to encourage Ryleigh to find other ways to express herself. So, especially because it was the only word he’d spoken in what felt like ages, it came as a bit of a shock. When she lifted her eyes and craned her neck in order to look at him through the rearview mirror, she was only met with the sight of steady tears flowing down his cheeks. Ryleigh was used to seeing her father emotional, but it was only ever when her mother was around to cause it. With a soft gasp, the girl put down her stuffies and began working to unbuckle her seatbelt. She had been scolded a few times for unbuckling herself while the car was moving, and only recently did she actually start listening to her parents where that was concerned, making an effort to stay in her place during car rides. This moment, however, was one in which she **needed** to climb into the front seat. Her daddy needed to be comforted, and she was the only one there to do it. So, she climbed onto the center console of the car and, in an uncomfortable position, wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him. “Daddy, why are you sad?!” she questioned, pouting. “We’re going on a trip! You should be happy!”

Typically, when Ryleigh climbed out from the backseat, Hunter reacted instantly. After the first couple of times, he got used to it, so the shock of it no longer clouded him and he could deal with the situation without delay. However, that was only when he was the one in the passenger’s seat, and not emotionally compromised. Caroline was, for the most part, always there to deal with it when he was the driver. “Ryleigh Rae! What have we told you about climbing out of your seat?!” he hiccuped, startled by her appearance. Thankfully, they weren’t on a highway, so it was easier for him to pull over. Unfortunately, though, there were no empty spaces on their current street, so he’d have to wait until the next one. “The police could give Daddy a ticket for that, and Daddy doesn’t have any money!” In his current state, Hunter couldn’t manage to soften his explanation with words like “honey” and by, oh, not shouting? Even though he couldn’t bring himself to care in that moment, he just had to bank on the fact that she would understand, that she wouldn’t be hurt. And she **should** understand, seeing as they'd told her a thousand times before _not_ to do this. They would probably be okay. But still, her feelings remaining intact didn’t negate the fact that he still had to hurry to pull over. So, even as he repeatedly attempted to convince her to go back to her seat on her own, followed by her repeatedly refusing to budge, he frantically worked to find a space for the car. “Y-You… you need to…” A heavy sob hit him before he could finish his sentence, but he picked it back up once it passed. “Get back in your seat, Ryleigh. Now.”

Hunter’s volume and the lack of sensitivity in his voice definitely came as a shock to Ryleigh, who almost exclusively heard her father speak in a sweet, calm tone, even when he was scolding her. However, that didn’t mean she would let go of him while he was upset. She was always determined to do **something** , and in that moment, that something was to make her dad happy again. Shaking her head when Hunter told her to get back to her seat, she insisted, “No, Daddy. I’m gonna hug you ‘til you stop crying!” Unable to help her curiosity, after a brief pause, she questioned, “Why are you sad? Mommy isn’t here!” Ryleigh definitely saw the correlation between her father getting upset and her mother’s yelling. She knew that she hurt his feelings and was mean on occasion. That being said, her young age prevented her from seeing the big picture. All she knew was that her mother wasn’t in the car, and they were heading off on some grand adventure, so there should be no reason for him to be crying.

The car now parked, Hunter felt safe in taking both of his hands off of the wheel to swipe at his eyes once again. After his face was momentarily clear again, he debated using those arms to hug Ryleigh, but decided against it, knowing that it would just make him cry even harder. But obviously, his current tactic wasn’t working, so he had to revert to using it only as a stalling agent until he came up with something better. He hated not being able to talk to her like she was a person, to just tell her, “do it because I said so” without any reasoning, but it was the best that he felt he could do in the moment. He wasn’t in the headspace he had pictured being in when he gave Ryleigh this talk, and to get there, he needed some time. Though, as he spoke, Hunter began to realize that he **was** speaking to her like he would anybody else; it just wasn’t in a way that she could fully intellectually grasp. “Mommy… your mom doesn’t have to be here for me to be sad. I just need some time to myself, Ryleigh. I’m not ready to talk about my feelings right now,” he explained, trying to make it as clear as possible. “It’ll be a little bit before we… please, baby. Your hugs won’t make me better this time.”

Ryleigh wasn’t about to listen to what her father was telling her. She wasn’t about to give up and move back to her spot in the backseat. Instead of doing as she was told, instead of letting go and buckling herself back up in her seat, she squeezed Hunter even tighter. “No, Daddy!” she insisted. “Hugs **always** help! You’re not s’posed to be sad, and I give the best hugs!” Ryleigh paused and decided it’d be best to correct herself, just this once. “Nooo, **you** give the best hugs. But you can’t hug yourself, so I’ll do it!” She let go with one arm and raised it, carefully wiping one of his tears away with her small finger. “No more being sad, Daddy… Please?”

Again and again, Hunter tried to get his daughter to obey his instructions, but each attempt was to no avail. If anything, they made her hold on tighter and, in turn, him feel more guilty for sitting limply. But just as he had predicted, his hugging Ryleigh back caused his body to see it as an opportunity to take even further advantage of him. He squeezed Ryleigh so hard while hugging her in order to try to relieve his pain that he actually gave it to her, and the only thing that stopped him was hearing her say that he was unintentionally hurting her. _”Be a man, you little bitch. Toughen the fuck up. A little girl shouldn’t have to hold your fucking hand for this.”_ The voice in his head was right, whoever it was. It had been much too long since Hunter had been able to tell the difference between Caroline’s influence and his own. But even despite its harsh delivery, what it was saying was true: **He** should be the one taking care of Ryleigh, not the other way around. He could cry on his own time, but right now ( _“right the_ **_fuck_ ** _now”_ ) he had to bury this, even if he had to force himself. It took a minute, but eventually, Hunter was able to take a deep breath and declare, “Okay. All better.”

Ryleigh sat up straight, letting her arms fall back to her sides. While she was no longer hugging Hunter, she still looked at him with suspicion, her eyes squinted. “Are you **sure** you’re all better?” she asked him, not totally convinced. “You can’t be sad for our trip!” Suddenly having another idea, Ryleigh dove back into the backseat of the car to retrieve the lunch that her Nana had packed her. She’d noticed another cookie stashed at the bottom when she’d investigated its contents earlier, and thought it’d be the perfect thing to fix her father’s mood. So, she took it out of the bag and held it up in front of Hunter’s mouth. “You can have my cookie,” she said sweetly. “I already had two! It’ll make you feel happy!”

Upon being offered the cookie, Hunter shut his mouth tightly and shook his head. It was a very kind gesture but he couldn’t accept it. No matter if she had just had two or not, she deserved, at the very least, to have every last one in that bag. “No, honey,” he declined with a trembling exhale. “No thank you. I have my own cookies, but that’s very nice of you to offer, sweetie. You eat it.” But even now, though he had thought that he needed time to be able to discuss this topic, Hunter was realizing that he would have to fill his daughter in early. He still needed a few quiet moments to himself, ones where he couldn’t feign joy. The only way that he could get those, or at least his best shot at it, was if she understood _why_ he couldn’t be happy. Plus, at least then, she’d have a bit more time to process the news before they got on the bus. He’d have to go for it. More and more, the man was realizing that heavy inhalations were his friend because he found himself taking yet another before he said, “Hey, Ryleigh? I need to-” Was he _positive_ he wanted to do this **now**? If he did, _right now_ would be the last moment she’d be excited instead of as depressed as he was. The answer to that, of course, was **hell no**. He absolutely did not **want** to crush his daughter’s anticipation and happiness, but did he have to? Yes. Unfortunately, yes. He just had to take a good look at her before he did it was all. “I need to talk to you about something. It’s very important, so I need you to be a good listener.”

Ryleigh frowned and looked back and forth between Hunter and her cookie a few times before finally accepting his answer. She took a tiny nibble from the cookie and chewed as Hunter sat in silence for a moment.

His question to her came as a surprise. It certainly didn’t seem as if whatever he had to tell her was about something **fun** regarding their trip. Why had the mood of their car ride changed so quickly? What was wrong with her father? She was concerned, and nervously chewed her snack as she looked up at him with wide eyes. “Okay… I’m **really** good at listening,” she nodded. She was scared to hear whatever it was that he had to tell her, since it had him so upset.

Hunter’s brain ran through what was probably a thousand different possible options before he finally settled on how to begin. Should he start with the reason why he had been crying? Should he pick up with why they were going on the trip? No. The best option, he decided, was to simply start from the beginning. Processing would be more difficult than it had to be if he jumped around. It would be easier for Ryleigh to hear it in a linear fashion and ask questions as they came to her. “Okay,” he said. _Time to be blunt._ “The trip we’re going on today, it’s to a city called Los Angeles. We’re gonna go to Los Angeles, but this isn’t just a _little_ trip. We… We’re never coming back, Ry.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our lovely betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae and good-mythical-maddi!

Ryleigh furrowed her brow when she heard the news, utterly perplexed by what she was being told. Not only had she never heard of the city her father mentioned, she also had no idea **why** they’d be leaving **forever**. And if they were never coming back, why wasn’t her mother in the car with them?

That, of course, wasn’t the only question on Ryleigh’s mind. She had a million of them. She couldn’t articulate most of the complex ones, so she opted for the easiest of them to start. “Daddy, where’s… Lost Angeles?” she asked him softly, voice barely a whisper, not realizing she’d mispronounced the name. Now that she was feeling scared, she wished that she had taken Ellie or Raffy into the front seat with her to hold.

Feeling Ryleigh tense up even though he barely had hold of her, Hunter hugged one arm more tightly around her as he reached into the back seat and fished around for Raff the Giraffe. He had known her long enough to recognize that look on her face. “Here you go, darlin’,” he assured softly, handing over the stuffed animal before utilizing his now-free second arm to hold his daughter even closer. “ _Los_ Angeles is a place in California, which is another state.” Okay, how could he make this sound exciting again? “Los Angeles is a place where it’s always sunny and warm, and it gets all the cool activities before any place else, and it’s where all the celebrities live.” Yeah, that’s right. Give her all of the highlights on the brochure.

The tiniest of smiles formed on Ryleigh’s face as she hugged her giraffe and listened to her father’s promise of sunshine and fun things to do. If **he** thought she would enjoy it, then there was no reason to be afraid, right? Although she was still feeling apprehensive about the whole thing, she was definitely already starting to warm up to the idea, once again beginning to grow excited. “But, Daddy… Isn’t Mommy coming, too?” she asked after a moment. Why would they leave her behind to miss out all the fun activities they’d be experiencing? “Are we picking her up at work?”

Hunter had to hold in a sigh at seeing Ryleigh’s excitement grow once again. This talk was just destined to be a rollercoaster of crushing her over and over, wasn’t it? Of course. What more could he have expected out of his life? “No, hon. It’s just gonna be the two of us. Mommy’s going to stay here in Buies Creek.” Before Ryleigh could get too upset, he quickly added, beginning to explain, “Ryleigh, you know how Mommy yells a lot, and how I have owies every day because she’s not nice to me?”

Ryleigh squeezed Raffy close to her chest and frowned, her excitement disappearing again just as quickly as it had returned. She nodded. Of course she knew about the owies. Her head settling back in place, Ryleigh mumbled, “Mommy shouldn’t be mean to you…” After running through all the new information in her mind, she thought of yet another question. “Daddy… does that mean I won’t see Mommy ever again?” she asked as her gaze moved toward the floor of the car instead of who she was talking to. She really wanted to be able to see her Mommy again. Even if she was mean to her Daddy on occasion, she still loved her. Even if she felt bad about it sometimes.

Hunter removed one of his arms from around Ryleigh’s torso, but that was only so that he could use a hand to brush a fallen section of hair back from in front of her face and behind her ear. Once her field of vision was clear, he leaned down in front of her to plant a kiss on her forehead. “Yeah, sweetie. That’s what it means. I’m so sorry.” The only comforting thing that he could say to himself about this whole thing was that it was for their own good, that they’d have a better life in the long run because of it. “But you know what? It’s the only way we can stay safe. There’ll be no more yelling, no more owies, there won’t be a thousand rules that she tells us to follow… Daddy and Ryleigh can make the rules for themselves, now. We can have a good time, a real good time, without Mommy.” He hoped he wasn’t villainizing her too much. Was he?

Ryleigh was quiet for a few moments before placing Raffy down and wrapping her arms tightly around her father again. “That’s okay, Daddy. Mommy is mean to you and I don’t want you to have owies anymore,” she muttered. The girl was trying to choke back tears, once again wanting the man to think she was being a “big girl” who didn’t cry. Of course, Ryleigh was scared. She was just told she’d **never** see her mother again. She was too young to fully grasp the reality of the situation, but it still terrified her. That being said, she was going to do everything in her power to stay strong for her father when he needed her to. “No more owies, Daddy,” she said, voice trembling slightly.

“It’s okay to cry, dollface,” Hunter assured, his voice softening considerably as he smoothed her hair over repeatedly as an attempt at a comforting gesture. Her resistance to tears wasn’t a flaw. His daughter was… she had very few flaws, if any at all. It wasn’t a flaw, and he didn’t hate _her_ for it. He simply hated the fact that she felt the need to resist her tears at all. He wanted her to be able to show her emotions freely, even the negative ones. He supposed it was something that they’d have to work on in their new life. One of many things that the both of them had to overcome. “I know you’re sad. I know it hurts. You don’t have to be a big girl. You can cry."

Ryleigh shook her head, determined not to. Despite her insistence on holding back her emotions, however, Hunter’s reassurances were weakening her defenses. After all, she was only a little girl, and when it came down to it, it didn’t take much.

Tears began to fall from her eyes, and, blatantly ignoring their appearance, she put her hands on her father’s cheeks and said, “I don’t want you to have owies anymore, Daddy. We should go on our trip now.” She wanted nothing more than for her father to be happy, and to be able to have **fun** together. If what he had promised was true, this trip, which she now knew would be a **permanent** trip, would bring them nothing but good things. So, despite her fears, she clumsily returned to her spot in the backseat with Raffy. She picked Ellie up as well, and crossed her legs. “I’m ready, Daddy.”

Hunter didn’t want _this_ when he said he wanted Ryleigh to return to her seat. He wanted her to return to her seat without the knowledge that they were leaving their previous life behind. He didn’t want her to do it in order to make him feel better. He didn’t want to break her heart and have her thinking that she had to rush off to the rear of the vehicle before he could make _her_ feel better. He knew, he knew. It wasn’t because of something that he had done. This was just the way she was. It was just a part of her until further notice. But, even still, it didn’t mean it frustrated or hurt him any less.

“Ryleigh,” he sighed, turning to look back at her. “I’m still trying to talk to you, sweetheart. You don’t have to go back to your seat right _now_ .” Why not? Her task was accomplished; **Hunter** had stopped crying. How could he have expected her to stay for _her_ needs? “Don’t you have any more questions about our trip?” Anything to get her back up here, please.

Ryleigh was happy that her father wasn’t mad at her and that he was okay with her being at the front of the car with him, having previously thought he was angry and wanted her in the backseat. So, naturally, when she got the okay, she put her stuffies down once again and climbed back up front, immediately throwing her arms around Hunter again. The girl buried her face in her father’s chest, wanting comfort but not wanting to admit it. Trying to come up with more questions about their “trip”, she hummed for a moment before sniffling and mumbling, “Can we still watch cartoons in Lost Angeles, Daddy?”

Hunter had to strain to hear what Ryleigh was saying, her words muffled by his chest and becoming semi-lost in translation. Luckily for him, he had been deciphering what his daughter had been saying since the day she could say anything at all, so it wasn’t a very difficult task. He quickly debated correcting her in regards to the name of the city in which they’d be living, but decided against it just as speedily as the choice had come to him. Now was _not_ the time to make sure that her pronunciation was up to par. “Hopefully someday soon, darlin’.” Hunter wrapped his arms around her once again, rubbing her back in slow circles as he spoke. “Our TV from our old house wouldn’t fit in our suitcases, so we won’t have one for a little while until I can make some money to afford a new one. But yeah, Los Angeles will have cartoons eventually.”

Before she had time to react to the news that she wouldn’t be able to watch cartoons for at least some period of time, another question popped into Ryleigh’s head. Her father had initially called what they were doing a trip, and in Ryleigh’s mind, a trip meant the same thing as a vacation, which meant no school. “Are you still gonna teach me school?” she asked quietly, lifting her head up and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. She loved learning with her dad. He always knew how to make it fun even if it was schoolwork. Ryleigh was always told that all kids needed school, so if this trip really **was** going to last forever, was she not going to have school ever again? School time with Hunter was always when Ryleigh had the most fun. She loved learning fun facts with him, and she didn’t want that to be over for good.

Of course, Hunter was willing to answer almost anything that Ryleigh could think to throw his way. She deserved to know what was going on every bit as much as he did. Just because he was the parent didn’t mean that he should (though he had the right) spring things on her last minute without any conversation, his only words on the matter being, ‘Because I said so’. It just wasn’t the way that he was, especially not in such a scary time. It’s one thing to be afraid, but it’s a whole other (and much scarier) thing to be afraid and ignorant. So, of course he wanted to tell her what was going on. However, he hadn’t stopped hating the idea of hurting her. He had already told her that she was never going to see her mother, grandparents, or hometown again, that they were going to be moving to a new, big, frightening city none of them knew very much at all about, and that she wouldn’t even have cartoons to keep her company. How was he supposed to tell her that she’d have some **stranger** “teaching her school” instead of her Daddy, who she’d been learning from for all the time she’d been taught school? How was he supposed to tell her he was _replacing_ himself? He certainly couldn’t tell her straight out. “Do you know how someone makes money, Ryleigh? And do you know what money is for?”

Ryleigh cocked her head to one side as she looked up at Hunter with curiosity. She was confused as to why he hadn’t just answered her question outright, as she felt like it had been pretty straight forward. Wanting to answer her father’s questions as accurately as she could, she took some time to consider them carefully. “Ummm,” she mumbled softly as she thought through what she knew, which admittedly was very little. “Money comes from jobs, like Mommy’s?” she tried, not sure whether or not her answer would prove to be correct. “And… It’s for _things_ … Right?” How did this have anything to do with her having school lessons with her dad?

“That’s right. Money is for things like food, clothes, and a place to live. When we were living with Mommy, she was the one that had a job and made the money so that I could stay home and take care of you. But now that we’re moving, I have to be both Mommy **and** Daddy. That means that I have to get a job to make money for us. I have to work, which means that you have to go to a real school during the week. Teachers there will teach you, and they’ll take care of you until I can pick you up after work. But Ry, that doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna teach you at all. We can still learn together on the weekends. I just need a little extra help, now, since I can’t be around all the time anymore.”

Ryleigh’s bottom lip began to tremble again as her father explained the new situation to her. His assurance that he’d still be able to teach her things on the weekends didn’t do much to calm her, as the one detail her mind decided to focus on was that she would have to go to a real school. “But, Daddy, I don’t wanna go,” she sniffled, a slight whine in her voice. “I want _you_ to be my teacher. I can take care of myself! I can stay home! We can do school on weekends only!” Ryleigh was trying to convince Hunter to think of an alternative, **any** alternative that would allow her to avoid going to a real classroom with a teacher who wasn’t _him_. While not expecting to get anywhere with her pleas, she was still going to try her best to convince him to allow her to stay home. “I don’t want to go to a real school! Please?!”

Hunter sighed and shook his head at Ryleigh’s attempt at making a convincing case for herself.  He wished that he could say yes, wished that things could be different, but they couldn’t. She had to go to school and he had to go to a job because it was the only way that they could make this work.

Of course, they could still turn around and go back to their old house. Hunter could remain unemployed, remain _Hunter_ , and keep teaching Ryleigh. But it’d come at the price of their lives. And that, even if it upset Ryleigh, even if she didn’t understand it, didn’t **like** it, wasn’t a sacrifice that he was willing to make for a second longer. So, outward bound the car remained as the bad news continued to flow.

“No, honey. You can’t stay home all by yourself. That’s against the law and it would get Daddy in very big trouble if I let you do it. You have to go to school so that somebody can watch you while I go make money, but it’s okay. You’re going to have a very nice teacher, okay? And when you’re at school, you can have lots of fun. You can make friends your age, and you can play on the playground, and you can read books and play with toys…” Hunter wasn’t expecting very much, but maybe giving her all of the good points, like he did with their new city as a whole, would work. “You won’t have to be stuck in the house all day anymore. You’ll have a great time, I promise.”

The only knowledge Ryleigh had about jobs was what she had learned from her mother, and Caroline hadn’t exactly been known to come home every night. Although it wasn’t **really** work related, Ryleigh’s parents had always told her that. Because of this, she thought her daddy getting a job meant he’d be away not only during the day, but at night, too. “But Daddy, I don’t want somebody else to tuck me in,” she sobbed, not fully explaining her thought process to the man. She was too upset to completely voice all of her worries.

“Woah, woah,” Hunter rushed, his eyes blown wide. His brain, of course, was too focused on calming Ryleigh that the pieces of _why_ she thought this way weren’t falling into place, but he knew that what she was thinking would happen was entirely misguided, so even without that knowledge, he was able to tell her so. “Nobody else is going to tuck you in! I’m only ever gonna go to work when you’re at school. I’ll _always_ be home to tuck you in, and to sing you goodnight, and to kiss your forehead when I’m done. All that good stuff. Nobody else is gonna do it except Daddy.” Hunter wanted to tell Ryleigh to stop crying, but every fiber of his being worked to keep him from doing so. It was just the natural thing to want to say when you were a parent. You never want to see your child in pain. But Ryleigh needed to let her tears out. It had been hard enough to get her to _start_ to show that she **has** feelings, and he wasn’t going to risk her thinking that she wasn’t allowed. Even if it hurt him to bear. “Just me. Only me. It’s okay, baby.”

“Promise?” Ryleigh whimpered softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn’t want to look Hunter in the eye, ashamed of how emotional she’d gotten. It’d been an extremely long time since she’d been **so** upset. She believed every word her father told her, so his assurances **did** make her feel better, but she’d gotten herself so worked up by that point that she couldn’t stop her tears.

“Promise,” Hunter assured, not bothering to ask _why_ she thought he wasn’t going to be there for her at night. He was just so relieved that it was over that the inquiry escaped him. Hugging her tightly, the man planted a lingering kiss to her temple. Those were free. Why _not_ give them away? Then, he carefully brushed a thumb under her eyes, wiping her tears away and banishing them to the car’s floor. “Now, whaddya say we get goin’ before we start sproutin’ greys?”

Ryleigh was still gasping for air due to her crying, but was much calmer. The kiss coupled with Hunter’s promise did wonders to reassure her. She tried wiping her own tears on her sleeve and, with an attempt to keep her voice steady, insisted, “No more crying, Daddy!” She was speaking for the both of them. “Time for our trip, now.” She climbed back to her spot in the rear of the vehicle yet again, making an attempt to buckle herself back up. Of course, she struggled, and didn’t fully succeed in her job, but she felt she had. So, with both Ellie and Raffy in her arms once again, hugging them close, Ryleigh was ready to start their journey.

Hunter would hardly be able to call himself a decent father if he didn’t climb out of the driver’s seat to come around and make sure that his daughter was strapped in properly. It was a good thing that he did, too, because she had the belt twisted every which way and it definitely _wasn’t_ properly secured across her lap. “Good try, sweetie. Such a good try,” he praised her as he fixed it, but even still, it made the man feel much better to redo it from the start. But as soon as that was done and he was back in his seat, it was back on track for the adventurous pair, nothing but a long road (and an even longer trip) ahead of them.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our lovely betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae and good-mythical-maddi!

It wasn’t very long before they were at the bus station. Well, as close as they were going to get to it, anyway. They needed to be parked far enough away so that nobody would connect the dots and figure out that they got on a bus, but still close enough that they could walk the rest of the way.

It was even harder to do when Hunter continuously scanned his surroundings for anything out of the ordinary, like Caroline jumping out of the woodwork and finding them out. The seconds dragged on like hours when he had his eyes open.    


It was worse when they finally abandoned the car twenty minutes away from the station, of course with the keys hidden away safely, to “Flintstone it” the rest of the way as a forensic countermeasure to throw the police off of their trail. His mother had been kind enough to allow him to borrow it, and the last thing she needed was the car, her  _ only  _ car, being stolen  _ on top of  _ her son and granddaughter disappearing like the wind.

“All right, baby. I can’t hold your hand,” thanks to the fact that he was handling all of the luggage, “but I need you to stay very close to me, okay? I’d hate for you to get lost; I’d have to order a replacement model and perfection is expensive, you hear?”

Ryleigh was trailing behind her father, if only slightly. He was lugging not only his own suitcase, but hers as well, leaving her to squeeze her two stuffies tightly as she obediently marched on. “Okay, Daddy!” she said, giggling softly at his gentle teasing despite still feeling overwhelmed with different emotions, some positive and quite a few negative. Being an extremely curious child, Ryleigh asked all sorts of questions, and considering she was about to experience a **lot** of new things, her mind was running wild. Her mouth was moving nearly as quickly as her thoughts were, asking Hunter question after question as they walked. “How many people fit in a bus? Are they nice? Are there seatbelts like in cars? Can I play in the bus?” were just a few of them.

Hunter stopped in his tracks, if only for a moment to request that Ryleigh, “walk in  _ front _ of me, please, darlin’. So I can keep an eye on you.” She was a good girl who listened, yes, but she was also a **little** girl, and even adults got swept away by crowds. He needed a visual on her to feel comfortable. After that, he didn’t remain stationary to answer her questions, because if he did that, they’d be standing outside until the sun went down. Instead, he answered them in order as they journeyed to the bus station, eventually walking inside and moving toward the ticket counter. “How many people fit in a bus depends on the size of the bus. They might be nice, but I don’t know because I haven’t met them. I’m pretty sure there are seat belts, and no, you can’t run around on the bus, darlin’, but we can play quiet games in our seats if you’d like.”

Ryleigh was hopping along, past stranger after stranger, as she listened to Hunter answer her questions. “What  _ kind _ of games can we play, Daddy?” she asked, her excitement growing. She’d never pass up an opportunity to play games with her favorite person in the world. “How far is Lost Angeles? How many games can we play?” 

Moving through the building, the girl was beginning to feel overwhelmed again, just like she had felt in the car, but this time it wasn’t because of bad news, but because of the chaos of the station. Being a fraction of the height of everyone and everything she passed coupled with the fact that she was ahead of her father, Ryleigh felt like she was getting lost and separated, like she was in a maze of giants. After she asked her last question, she stopped in her tracks, waiting for Hunter to catch up, even if he was only a couple of steps behind.

It only took Hunter a moment to join his daughter, his long legs lessening the amount of strides required to reach her. Having a feeling as to why she stopped, he reached down and ruffled her hair. “It’s all right, kiddo. I’m here,” he assured. “And the counter’s right there. Let’s head up.” It was only a few more steps to the ticket counter, Ryleigh naturally reaching it first and her father not far behind. Once they were both there, Hunter conjured up his best smile and cheerily greeted the teller behind it. “Hi, I’d like to buy two tickets on your first bus to Los Angeles, please.”

Ryleigh stood on her toes and reached up as far as she could so she was grasping the edge of the counter. Jumping up and down, she tried to catch a glimpse of the person her father was talking to, but couldn’t see them no matter how many times she hopped; the counter was just too tall and she too short. “Me and my daddy are going to Lost Angeles on a long trip!” she enthused, wanting to share her excitement with anyone she could.    
  
“How fun!” the woman behind the counter said with a kind smile, beginning to type the destination into the system, despite not being able to see the source of the tiny voice. “I assume you’d like the earliest possible tickets, right? I see you’re already packed up. Here we go. There’s a bus in two hours. Can I get a name for the tickets?”

Two whole hours? Wasn’t there  _ anything _ earlier? Didn’t buses leave every ten minutes?! Maybe it was different for cross-country buses, but even still! That was two hours that they were going to be sitting down, risking getting caught. It just wouldn’t do! But, he supposed, there was nothing that he could do to alter the departure time. They’d just have to pray they went undetected, and remain grateful that Caroline had never been the type to call in the middle of a workday. “Yeah, sure. H-” No. No.  **No** . That wasn’t his name anymore. Using it would be the  _ end _ of this. It would ruin  **everything** . That. wasn’t. his  **name** . But now, he had to find a quick cover so that he could write his slip of the tongue off as something else. Glancing down at Ryleigh, he instructed, “Honey. Raff and Ellie are gonna get mighty filthy if you leave them on that floor,” seeing as she had dropped them in her quest to hang onto the counter. “Better pick them up quick.” Then, turning his attention back to the ticketing woman, he corrected himself. But she wouldn’t know that. He said it confidently this time, as if  _ it _ had been his name his whole life instead of Hunter Scott. He just had to hold his breath and plead that Ryleigh didn’t notice. Maybe she wouldn't. “Charles Neal. Link, if it’s easier.”

Ryleigh gasped at Hunter’s suggestion that she had left Ellie and Raffy on the dirty ground, immediately bending to scoop them back up in her arms and apologize to them. Only a moment later did she hear her father say a name she didn’t recognize. She looked up at him to question it, her mouth open and ready to speak, but something told her not to. Maybe he wasn’t  **supposed** to give the lady  _ his _ name. She thought about asking him who Charles was, but the woman behind the counter was already speaking, stealing her opportunity away.

“All right, Mr. Neal. That will be three hundred and seventy-eight dollars for the two tickets to Los Angeles, California,” she stated warmly as they began to print.

Hunter- no,  _ Link _ , felt like his eyes were popping out of his head in a cartoonish fashion when he was informed of the price of their tickets, but in all reality, they were probably just blown a bit wide. He knew that that price was fair for a cross-country trip for two, but it was nevertheless an astronomical blow to their funds. He wasn’t sure just how many of those they could afford. “Of course. One second,” he bid before crouching down and opening the pocket to one of the suitcases that was safely keeping things like their money and the updated documents with their new names, such as his driver’s license. Remind him to buy a new wallet in Los Angeles, too. It took the man a second to count out the correct amount of cash, and he didn’t have exact change, but he told himself that he’d get the difference back and secured the suitcase once more. “Here we are,” he stated, handing over a whopping three hundred and ninety dollars. Gosh, that was hard to part with. “Not exact change, though. My apologies.”

The woman took the cash and counted it once, then again for good measure, just to make sure she’d gotten it right. Following that, she retrieved  _ Link _ his change before sliding him the freshly-printed tickets that he’d now paid for. With a cheery tone to match her smile, she confirmed, “There ya go. Two tickets to Los Angeles.”

Ryleigh tugged on her father’s pant leg eagerly as soon as the woman behind the counter finished speaking, not waiting a second longer. “Do we get to go on the bus now, Daddy?” she asked with excitement, jumping up and down, unable to contain her emotions.

Thanking the woman and accepting his change and their tickets, Link slid the two dollars that he had leftover from that transaction into the front pocket of his slacks; there was no point in opening the suitcase for two dollars, was there? He kept the tickets in his hand, though, gripping them tightly as if he was afraid of non-existent wind taking them away. “No, darlin’. Not just yet. The bus isn’t ready to leave,” he explained, but then gave her a soft smile. His legs were starting to give out, he could feel it. All that walking hadn’t done him any good at all. “We have to wait for it for a little while. How about we go sit down and we can eat the lunches that Nana packed us while we wait?” Link had stuck them in the carry-on that still had a little bit of room left…- “Oh! Excuse me, Miss,” he asked of the ticketing agent. “I have some baggage to pay for, and I understand I can do that here.”

The woman glanced down at the three pieces of luggage that he had with him. “It’s just the three bags, correct?” she asked. “Each ticket comes with one free checked bag, and your third is small enough to be considered a carry-on. So if that’s it, you’re good to go! All you need is your luggage tags, and I can get you tagged for assistance as well if you’d like. We offer special tags for those with small children and things like that.”    
  
Completely disregarding the fact that her father was having a conversation that didn’t involve her, Ryleigh was tugging on Link’s pant leg again, this time trying to drag him to a bench she’d spotted nearby. “Come on, Daddy! Let’s eat our sammich and cookies!” she pleaded with him. All the walking had tired the girl out and she’d worked up an appetite, even if she hadn’t had to handle her own suitcase.

“Yeah, that’s it. Honey, just wait one more second,” he told his daughter right after confirming with the agent, not looking down to address the former. “I have to get one more thing settled and then we can eat our  _ sandwiches _ .” Alternating his vision between his child, their bags, and the woman behind the counter, he decided, “Assistance tags would be great, thank you. I need all the help I can get when I have this one with me.” Being told to wait just a second, Link crouched once again and transferred all of their money and important documents to their carry-on. There was no chance that he was going to leave things like that in the hands of anybody else. When he came back up, he swept a few stray strands of blond hair away from his face and gave a lazy smile. “Is there any extra charge for those?”

With a shake of her head, the woman explained, “No, there’s no extra charge.” She laughed sweetly as she listened to Ryleigh’s continued attempts at getting her father to go sit down with her. It was obvious that the girl was running on fumes, so she got the tags ready as quickly as she could. Handing them over, she told him where to place them before saying, “You’re all set! Just hand your luggage to the handler when it comes time to board. You can’t miss him.” With a kind wave of her hand as she looked down at Ryleigh, she said, “Now go enjoy your sandwiches!” 

Ryleigh grinned from ear to ear at the comment, and began to tug on her father’s pants once again. “Yeah, Daddy! Sammich time!” she enthused.

“All right, all right,” he laughed in response to Ryleigh, taking hold of the bags. “I can walk myself, baby girl. I’ve been doing it for decades. Stop pulling meee!” Spotting the same seating area that his daughter had, he started walking away (backwards so that he could keep an eye on the five year old) toward it with their belongings in hand. “Thank you!” he called to the ticketing agent, and then to Ryleigh, “And for the last time, silly lady, it’s pronounced  **sandwich** .”

“Sand...itch,” Ryleigh said slowly, trying her best to pronounce the word correctly as she managed to pull herself up into one of the seats. Her back was against the back of the chair, and with her legs straight out, her feet barely still reached the edge. She placed Ellie and Raffy in the seat directly next to her before pointing to the next seat over. “That’s  _ your _ seat, Daddy! Hurry up, it’s sanditch time!” she insisted. “Ellie and Raffy’s tummies are grumblin’!”

“ **Witch** ,” Link repeated, taking the seat that he was assigned and settling their luggage a comfortable distance away, but near enough so that he wasn’t anxious about it. ‘W’ was still a letter that they had to work on in some cases. “Sand...  **witch** .” As he waited for Ryleigh to echo him, the thirty-nine year old opened their carry-on bag and removed their lunches, making a mental note to transfer the other snacks that they’d brought from their  _ old _ home before they gave their baggage to the handler. “Sound it out, I know ‘w’ is a toughie.” Link went about spreading Ryleigh’s lunch on the seat that Raff and Ellie shared, the brown bag that it had been packed in functioning as a plate. Who knew what kind of germs lived on these seats? “There you go; your cookies and your sandwich, all ready to eat.”

Ryleigh smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Daddy!” Gosh, she hoped that time passed fast while she ate. She couldn’t wait to get on the bus.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark for being such great betas! Also, special thanks to magicbubblepipe for the artwork!

**Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 12:05 PM; Fayetteville, North Carolina**

* * *

Caroline Parker was sitting back at her desk in her office, finishing up the last of the paperwork she had left to complete before she could take her lunch break. Being a real estate agent could certainly be difficult at times, and that morning had been one of those times. She’d been dealing with frustrating clients all morning and was beyond ready to take her break. However, for some reason that she couldn’t place, she’d been thinking about her daughter Ryleigh all morning long, hoping everything was going okay at the house. It wasn’t as if there was anything to worry about; every day was the same in their household. For the most part, anyway. She’d go to work, Ryleigh’s father would make the girl breakfast and proceed with her studies, and then before they knew it, she’d be home and it’d be dinner time. Today was just another one of those days, she knew, but something deep down inside of Caroline was nagging her to go see her little girl. On the way in, she’d passed a cafe on the route she took to her office every day, and from what she saw through the window, they had plenty of healthy snacks that she was sure Ryleigh would love. It was then that she decided that as soon as it was time to take her break, she would use that time to go down to that cafe, pick out a snack for her daughter, and drive home to give it to her. Of course, that would mean that she would be taking double the amount of time that she was permitted to take for lunch, but that didn’t matter much. She was a good employee, and this was a one-time deal. Things would be all right without her for a little longer than usual. Caroline smiled as she filed the last piece of paper, pushing away from her desk and grabbing her purse, not wasting a single moment before heading for the door. One way or another, she was _going_ to surprise her daughter with that special treat and have a relaxing lunch with her, sure that they _both_ needed it that day. However, just as she was about to exit the building, her phone began to ring. As much as she wanted to ignore it, she knew she couldn’t. It was an important client, and if she didn’t pick up, there’d be hell to pay sooner rather than later. Heaving a deep sigh, Caroline turned right back around and sat at her desk, putting her purse back in its place. She hated the idea of it, but Ryleigh’s treat would have to wait until later.

* * *

  **Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 1:50 PM; Smithfield, North Carolina**

* * *

It wasn’t a watch, a cell phone, or an alarm clock that told Link Neal that it was time to stand up, take what was his, and head for the bus, for the takeoff that would symbolize the beginning of his new life. He didn’t have any of those things, but he didn’t need them, either. The analog on the wall did a good enough job of letting him know. Standing up in the same way he’d been doing for nearly forty years, this time no different than any of the other hundreds of thousands that came before it, he took hold of the luggage that he’d neatly ordered over an hour before and turned to give what he hoped was a bright smile to his daughter. It should be, he knew. He’d gotten good at faking those over the years, after all. “Hey, Ry, guess what? It’s time to go say hi to the bus, now!”

“Bus!” Ryleigh squealed eagerly, scooping her stuffies up before leaping off of the seat she’d been in. She was immediately jumping up and down happily, hopping in circles around her father. “Bus! Bus! Bus!” she began to chant, unable to contain her excitement physically **or** verbally. She’d been asking the man if it was time to see it every fifteen or so minutes for the past however long they’d been sitting, and the time that she had been not-so-patiently waiting for had finally arrived! How could she not be overjoyed?

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled warmly. “This time, you’ve gotta walk next to me so we can go see the bus, okay? ‘Cause I gotta lead-” Or maybe not. He _did_ have assistance tags, after all. He didn’t see why those couldn’t apply _now_. Thankfully, a bus station employee was close by and he was able to request help without taking his eyes off of his daughter for a single second. He had to say, it was much easier to wheel two suitcases in one hand and still have the other free to hold Ryleigh’s, both so that she felt safe and so that he didn’t lose track of her. It went much quicker too, getting to the bus when he didn’t have to look over his shoulder every five seconds to make sure the girl was keeping pace, and before they knew it, they were climbing on the bus. “All right, chickadee. Where do you think we should sit on Mr. Bus?”

Ryleigh ran down the bus aisle as quickly as she could, giggling loudly as her excitement bubbled over. “Right here, Daddy!” she yelled. She was already climbing into a seat about two-thirds of the way towards the back of the bus on the right-hand side. Just like the seat she’d been sitting in at the station, this one was much too big, and her feet barely passed the edge of it. “Daddy, the bus is **so** big!” she squealed, beginning to point out all of the features of the bus that she found particularly interesting. “Look at the light, Daddy! And the little table! That’s where Ellie and Raffy can sit! There’s so many seats, Daddy! How many people are gonna be here? Can I see the driver?” Just like earlier, Ryleigh’s mouth was moving a mile a minute, almost faster than her brain was working. How her father kept up, she didn’t know, but she was sure glad that he could.

Before sitting down, Link went about setting their carry-on item in the overhead compartment that found its place above their seats, and only then did he slide into the chair next to his daughter, taking the one closest to the aisle so she could gaze out the window at everything that they passed. There was sure to be a lot of scenery on a three-day cross-country trip, wasn’t there? Knowing Ryleigh, she wouldn’t want to miss a single second of it. “Shh,” he whispered, placing his index finger over his lips. Noise was fine in the station, but the bus itself was supposed to be a quiet-zone, and he’d have to try his best to get Ryleigh to respect that. “We’ve gotta be quiet, now. Lots of people are gonna be on the bus in just a second.” There were a few seated around the bus as it was, and people were filling in as they spoke. “And the driver’s not on the bus yet. Remember we saw her a few seconds ago helping people with their suitcases?”

Ryleigh nodded and put her finger up to her father’s mouth and shushed him back. “Quiet, Daddy,” she whispered. She then placed Ellie and Raffy carefully on the tray table before obediently sitting still and quiet, focusing on her view out of the window. However, that only lasted for a few minutes before she stood up in her chair and turned around to the young woman sitting in the seat directly behind her own and waved. “Hi! I’m Ryleigh! Me and my Daddy are going to Lost Angeles! What’s your name? Can we be friends?!” she asked sweetly.

A habit long ingrained, Link immediately turned around to apologize to the young woman for his daughter’s disruptive behavior. Caroline had spent years making it clear that while in public, Ryleigh should be, for the most part, seen and not heard as far as other grownups were concerned. He couldn’t blame himself (okay, maybe he could; he did that for everything) for still being weighed down by her rules so soon after leaving her. “I’m so sorry, miss,” he said, his features blown wide in embarrassment. “We’re still working on our manners. Ryleigh, turn back around and sit, please. Don’t bother this nice lady.”  
  
The girl, a tall brunette with green eyes and a shade of pink lipstick not much darker than her lips themselves, shook her head with a smile. “No, no,” she assured Link. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind at all.” Then, turning her attention back to Ry, she introduced herself. “It’s nice to meet you, Ryleigh. My name’s Roxanne, but most people call me Roxy for short. I’m going to Los Angeles, too. I was just home visiting my Mama for a little while. And I’d love to be friends! Are you and your Daddy going on a vacation?”

Ryleigh bounced in her seat, ecstatic that Roxy had accepted her offer of friendship. “Hi, Roxy! You are _very_ pretty, like a princess!” Ryleigh squealed loudly, completely ignoring her father. “My Daddy and I are going on a trip for forever!” she said, excitedly at first, but her grin faded momentarily at the reminder she’d given herself. “Are _you_ going on a forever trip, too?” she asked her new friend, hoping that she wasn’t alone in this scary journey. Even though her father was obviously by her side, it would still feel comforting to have another person in her situation, even if just slightly.

“Thank you!” Roxy exclaimed, her smile growing. “And so are you! I love your hair; it’s blonde and super long like Rapunzel’s. I’m not going on a trip. Coming to North Carolina was my trip, actually.” Roxy had a slight accent, though it was fading, now, no longer thick like Ryleigh’s. “I live in Los Angeles, that’s where my home is, but my mother lives here. I just came by to tell her hello and spend some time with her, but now it’s time for me to go back home. I think you’ll really love living in Los Angeles, Ryleigh. It’s a very nice place.”

Ryleigh’s grin returned, as did her excitement. The compliment and the woman’s reassurance that she would enjoy her new home was just what Ryleigh needed to dispel the majority of her fears in that moment. Despite the fact that Roxy was a complete stranger, Ryleigh trusted her. She turned to look at her father and exclaimed, “Daddy! My brand new friend Roxy lives in Lost Angeles, too!”

“Oh,” Link answered, trying to muster up some excitement for Ryleigh’s sake. In all reality, he was far from her level of elation. Should they really be doing this? “That’s cool, honey! It’s a big city; lots of people live there.” That was why Link had chosen it, speaking in the interest of full disclosure. It was easy to disappear into, and nobody would ever suspect that that’s where he would have taken his daughter. He had been a smalltown boy his whole life; the slow pace of Buies Creek had always been comforting, and naturally, if he ever did move, he’d gravitate toward another sleepy town, seeing as he wasn't much for change. Mid-sized towns were too much for his taste; somewhere like Los Angeles was an impossibility as far as anybody he knew was concerned. Nobody would ever suspect a thing. “It’s what they call a ‘major city’.”

The promise of Los Angeles being so large and full of people only made Ryleigh think of one thing. “That means I can make lots and lots of friends, right Daddy?” the girl asked happily, growing more and more excited over the idea of the big city with each new detail that she was told about it. “Ellie and Raffy want to make lots of friends, too! Can they?” As she inquired upon that, Ryleigh picked up her two stuffies from their “seat” on the tray table, then lifted them over the back of her chair to show Roxy. “Ellie and Raffy say hi and that they want to be your friend too,” she announced.

“Yeah, baby. You can. I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends.” Going to school would be good for her; she could actually interact with kids her own age instead of being stuck spending all of her time with her parents and other adults.  
  
“Well, hello, Ellie. Hello, Raffy,” Roxy greeted, shaking their “hands” in greeting when Ryleigh presented them. “My name is Roxy. It’s very nice to meet you. It’s a very fine day today, wouldn’t you say?”

“They say yes,” Ryleigh replied to Roxy. The fact that the woman had spoken directly to Ellie and Raffy made her extremely happy. Her father did that as well, but her mother was the best at it. She could carry on full conversations with her and her stuffies at any time. “You’re good at talking to my stuffies. Daddy is too, but Mommy’s the best at it.” Turning to her father, she smiled sympathetically. “Sorry, Daddy. You need more practice.”

“Oh, do I?” Link asked, feigning incredulity. “Well, I’ll work on that!”

“That’s nice, sweetie,” Roxy said, giving Ryleigh a warm smile. “Do you talk to your stuffies a lot? Are you best friends?”

* * *

  **Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 4:30 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

Caroline slowly pulled into the garage despite the fact that it took restraint. Who could blame her when she was just so excited? Finally, after getting off of work, she was able to bring her daughter the special treat that she’d been thinking about getting her all day (and, plus, maybe, possibly, some low-calorie chocolate. Just this once). She could hardly bring herself to care if she had parked exactly right between the lines that she had painted on the floor to fit her car. Instead of checking, she simply rushed to the front door, bag in hand, and hurried to unlock it. Ryleigh would love what she had brought her, she was sure of it. Stepping inside, she called her name, “Ryleigh, honey! Mommy’s home! I brought you somethin’ speci…-” But instead of finishing her thought, the woman’s sentence trailed off when she looked around and took in her surroundings. There was a breach in the order of her home, and it was in the form of her daughter’s stuffies scattered on the floor, and she for the life of her couldn’t figure out why Hunter hadn’t made her clean them up. Unless… Oh god.

Caroline’s heart sank. Her mother’s intuition made it clear that something was wrong. Either her baby girl and her father were hurt, or Hunter had done something unthinkable. She dropped the snacks she’d brought home for Ryleigh onto the floor in a panic and ran up the stairs to check the bedrooms only to find more of the mess that had been left behind. Upon reaching the bedroom she shared with Hunter, she checked the closet and found a suitcase missing. “What did you do, Hunter?” she hissed under her breath as she began to pace around the bedroom, terrified and furious and feeling utterly lost. What could she do? How could she get them back? **Could** she get them back?

Caroline noticed an envelope sitting on the edge of the bed with her name written on it. Her heart sank at the sight of it, as it was just proof that what she’d feared was happening really _was_ happening. She simply stared at the envelope for some time, wanting to delay being faced with the truth, but knowing she needed to read it. She finally worked up the courage and pulled the folded up piece of paper from its sleeve. She scanned the words scribbled hastily in Hunter’s familiar handwriting, trying her best to hold back the tears that were welling, but failing. ([x](https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/51014224_768244730199923_7860519441421828096_n.png?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=147654cc93b3ab81c964766a1f9ab445&oe=5D5E863B)) Once finished, she sighed. It all made sense, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less. She needed her family back, but...she understood. For Hunter and Ryleigh’s sake, she knew she needed to get rid of the note. The paper shredder in her home office would do the trick.

It took Caroline’s head a long time to clear, precious time that she could be using to return her significant other and their child home simply wasted as she paced back and forth across the floor. What could she do, what could she do, what could she do, what had he done?! Where had he taken their daughter, and how did he do it? No… No… No… She couldn’t think. The only thing she could think to do is pay a visit to the people who were, at least by this point, somewhat of her in-laws and find out what they knew, if anything. They must know something, right? Hunter told them everything!

Caroline hurried back down the stairs and grabbed her purse, digging through it to retrieve her car keys. Her hands were shaking with anxiety. She needed to get to Hunter’s parents’ home as quickly as she could to find out exactly what they knew. She was trying to run through everything that she herself knew, but nothing made sense. He didn’t have any money; where could he have taken Ryleigh without funds? And what about transportation? The list went on, and there was nothing in the story that fit. Finally finding the keys, she ran through the front door to the car. As soon as she was behind the wheel, she realized she’d forgotten to lock the front door, or even close it, in her haste. For a moment, she considered just leaving it unlocked. Buies Creek was a safe town… No. She had to do the responsible thing. Once the door was locked, she returned to the car and sped as quickly as she could while still obeying traffic laws to Sue and Leroy’s home. If she was lucky, Hunter and Ry would still be there. There was no way he would have left without stopping to say goodbye to them.

The ride to Hunter’s parents’ house was torture, every possibility of what could have happened to her family racing through Caroline’s head at top speed. It seemed like everything took an eternity, from waiting for other cars to move out of her way, to parking, to waiting for somebody to answer the door. She had never been so relieved in her life to see Hunter’s mother when she opened up. “Oh, thank goodness, Sue,” Caroline greeted, entirely out of breath. “Have you seen Hunter and Ryleigh anywhere? Did they stop by here? Do you know where they went? They’re not at the house. _Please,_ tell me you know.”

Sue was surprised by the woman’s frantic behavior. “Well darlin’, they stopped by earlier today because he needed to borrow the car. He was taking Ryleigh out of town for a little surprise,” she explained softly, trying to calm the mother down. She couldn’t understand why this would be reason to panic, as Caroline was. What was wrong with a father taking his daughter out of town for a short while? Caroline must have just forgotten about the plans, because Sue couldn’t imagine Link planning anything without running it by his girlfriend first. “What’s wrong, dear?” she asked, when the information clearly didn’t dispel any fear in Caroline’s eyes.

“Sue, there _was_ no out of town surprise,” she said, growing angrier with each passing second. “They were supposed to be sitting at home all day while Hunter homeschooled Ryleigh. Just a normal day,” she ranted, entering the house without being told to nor asking. “He took her! They could be anywhere by now! We need to call the police!”

“Sue? What’s going on in there?” Leroy asked from his recliner, louder again when he didn’t get a response. The third time, he actually got up and made his way to his wife only to discover that they were no longer alone. His already neutral expression soured when he saw his son’s girlfriend. “Hello, Caroline. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Caroline’s expression was already sour enough, but that didn’t stop her from giving the new arrival a wicked side-eye. “Leroy,” she acknowledged. “Your son seems to have kidnapped my daughter.” Caroline nearly spat as the words left her mouth, but she didn’t care. She was absolutely livid, and that wouldn’t change until her baby was back in her arms.

“Well, I don’t very much believe it’s kidnappin’ if Ryleigh Rae is _his_ daughter, now is it?” Leroy asked, side-eyeing her in return. “Besides, all Hunter did was take Ry on a little trip. He borrowed our car. He’ll probably be back later tonight. Why don’t you go home and have a glass of wine and just wait for them, hm?” Anything to get her out of his house.

“The suitcases are gone,” she corrected. “They are not going to be back later tonight. I am calling the police.” Caroline pushed past him and walked farther into the house, heading straight for the landline on their kitchen counter. “I’m calling the police, and you’re going to help me get my baby back,” she insisted. “He’s not getting away with this.”

“Oh, gosh, Sue. The suitcases are gone,” Leroy repeated in a sarcastic whisper, widening his eyes in his wife’s direction. “This is like one of those soap shows you watch.”  
  
It didn’t take long for Caroline to be connected to the emergency services. After all, it rarely needed to be used in a town like this. So, there was no clogging up of the line, that was for sure. “911, what’s your emergency?”

“My boyfriend kidnapped our daughter,” Caroline insisted, her anger clear with her tone. “Get somebody over here immediately to collect evidence or whatever it is you people need to do! I want my baby to be back here as quickly as possible!” She gave the operator the address of both her home and the one she was currently in, making sure the person on the other end knew the police needed to take Sue and Leroy’s statements. Once she hung up the phone, she turned back to the homeowners. “You two better not try to cover for him,” she warned. They had always hated her.

Leroy opened his mouth to speak, but Sue cut him off, knowing that what he wanted to say wasn’t the most diplomatic, to put it kindly.  
  
“Honey, why don’t you sit down and take a rest? I’ll put some tea on, or would you prefer hot cocoa? There’s no sense in getting riled up when it’s out of your hands, now. You’ve called the police and you’ve done what you could do. Now it’s time to calm down, yeah?”

Leroy turned to his wife and grumbled, “The woman never seems to be calm. I don’t see why she’d start now.”  
  
Sue scoffed and smacked the back of his head. If she were being honest, the man certainly wasn’t wrong, but this was no time to be causing more trouble than was necessary.

“Tea is just fine, Sue,” Caroline said, glaring at Leroy viciously, not in the mood for any pleases or thank-yous. And she most definitely was not ready to calm down. But she had worked up a bit of thirst with all the yelling.

Sue made tea for Caroline while waiting for a response team. Now, knowing that there was no activity, that her son had _lied_ to her, that she had no clue where he and her granddaughter really were, she felt sick to her stomach. Honestly, she was lucky that her lunch didn’t end up in Caroline’s drink. Jesus H. Christ, she’d never hear the end of that one. “Leroy,” she whispered to her husband, her eyes bugged wide and sweat trickling down her spine. “What could have happened to them?” She needed better possibilities than were floating around in her mind right now, and she sure as heck hoped that her husband could give them to her.

Leroy placed a hand on Sue’s back, rubbing it gently in an attempt to comfort his wife. “Probably just needed to get away from Little Miss Dramatic,” he grumbled under his breath. “And it’s about time. You know he wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t in Ry’s best interest.” Leroy hoped his voice sounded confident, but even he was shaken up by all of the commotion. Nothing ever happened in Buies Creek. Well, not things to this magnitude, at least. “I’m sure we’ll be hearing from them soon enough.”

That didn’t help much. Nothing Leroy said did. It wasn’t because his sentiments were bad; it was just that Sue was so worked up that nothing short of her child’s safe return would calm her down.

* * *

 

**Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 5:00 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

At five sharp, the police knocked on the door and Caroline sprung out of her seat to answer it, nearly spilling her tea in the process. She hardly cared, anyway, as she raced to the door to open it, and, sure enough, there they were. Thank the Heavens. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here,” she greeted, practically hyperventilating by this point. “My daughter is gone!”

“She’s with her father, who has custody, you should know,” Leroy made sure to add before the police could get a word in. He was going to make sure that Caroline didn’t make his son out to be some child abusing villain. Hunter had always been an amazing dad, and Leroy wasn’t going to let this woman ruin things between him and his daughter. He had known since day one that she was bad news, but something told him he didn’t know the half of it.

“The house is in total disarray and they took suitcases and they didn’t tell me where they were going or that they were going anywhere at all,” Caroline tacked frustratedly onto the end of that. Leroy was determined not to tell the whole story, wasn’t he? “No voicemail, no note, nothing.” Sure, part of that was a lie, but it was a lie worth telling. Keeping the note a secret was simply for Hunter’s own sake. Sure, she wanted her family back, but she didn’t want to do anything that’d hurt them.

One officer took Sue aside while the other took Leroy, separating the two to take their statements. Naturally, Leroy was a bit more harsh with the words he chose, but his and his wife’s sentiments were the same.

As soon as they were done, the police requested to follow Caroline back to her home so they could assess the alleged crime scene and take photographs if need be.

Caroline had to make a special effort not to speed on the way to the house, knowing that police were following her and could make her day even worse by ticketing her. They arrived at their destination in more time than she would have preferred, but she was sure that everything was just the way she had left it. Unlocking the door and leading the officers up the steps, she stepped inside and gestured wildly to everything that was strewn about the floor. “Hunter would never let Ryleigh leave a mess like this! And this is only part of it!”

The two officers that had followed Caroline took in what she was saying and began to carefully assess the scene. They split up and each took note of what they found, photographing certain things that seemed out of place or otherwise important. Once they were confident that they’d searched everywhere, they returned to Caroline. “Between everything Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood told us and what we’ve seen here, I think we’ve got everything we need to start investigating this,” the one officer stated. “If you hear anything else, or if they turn up, let us know immediately.”

“That’s it?” Caroline asked. The process didn’t seem as thorough as she would have liked, but maybe that was just because she obsessed over things like that. “That seemed rather quick… Are you sure you have everything you need?” She was all for them starting the investigation immediately, but only if they had all the facts.

The cops glanced at each other and then back to Caroline. “Well, we already got a description of what your daughter was wearing when they left, and photos of the two of them. If you have anything else for us that you think is important, let us know,” the one officer stated. “But, yes. We’re all set.”

Caroline nodded. Although skeptical, she let it go and showed the officers out. With her boyfriend on the run with her daughter, she could tell that she was in for a long night. So, she grabbed one of her daughter's stuffies and held it close to her chest, walking to her bedroom to find her secret stash of chocolate. She was going to need it.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark for being such lovely betas!

**Monday, October 16th, 2017 at 6:00 PM; Asheville, North Carolina**

* * *

As far as Ryleigh was concerned, she was exhausted from her eventful day, and tired meant cranky. “Daddy, I’m so hungry!” she whined, already restless from their trip. What could she say? It was taking much longer than she had expected (which was to say that she believed they’d be in Los Angeles in half an hour tops). “I wanna eat! And sleep!”

Link smiled sweetly at his daughter and nodded. “Okay, darlin’, we can open up some of the snacks we packed,” he said, grabbing the bag with the snacks and opening it up. “Take your pick. Once you’re done, you can try to sleep.” Link was sure Ryleigh was exhausted. They’d never traveled for this long before, and frankly, he was surprised by how incredibly well behaved she had been, all things considered.

“Can I have some cookies?” Ryleigh asked, looking up at her father hopefully. She was half convinced that even though she hadn’t seen him pack it in the bag, he had brought along, that he was ready to whip out a vegetable or other healthy snack. “No…” she decided, remembering the event that had happened earlier in the day. “Cookies are bad, bad, bad. Mommy says no. Mommy will be _very_ mad.”

“No, no, Ry. Mommy isn’t here. You don’t worry about that,” he assured her quietly. “Cookies are bad if you eat them all the time, but there’s nothing wrong with having treats every once in a while.” Link didn’t want Ryleigh to stress about the things she ate, especially at such a young age. It wasn’t healthy. “You can have the cookie Nana gave me,” he said, handing his cookie to Ry.

“Really?” Ryleigh asked, her smile growing slightly, though her eyebrows were still furrowed. “But Daddy, that’s _your_ cookie. Nana made it ‘specially for you!”

“Yeah, but I’m willing to give it to you if that’s gonna make you smile,” Link said, completely ready to fork over the last of his mother’s cookies that he’d ever taste in order to bring a happy expression to his daughter’s face. It was worth that much to him and so much more. “Will it make you smile, baby?”

Ryleigh couldn’t help but grin broadly at his question, nodding softly. “We can share it, Daddy! My cartoon said sharing is caring! We can _both_ have Nana’s cookie!” The cookie was his to begin with, after all, and she didn’t want to steal all of it.

“Okay, baby,” Link smiled. “Sharing _is_ caring. Your cartoon is right,” he explained as he went about breaking the cookie in half. He gave Ryleigh the bigger of the two. Handing it to her, he acknowledged her manners, “Thank you _so much_ for sharing with me, sweetie.”

“You’re welcome!” Ryleigh said loudly with a high pitched giggle, happy that she was being praised. She took a big bite from the cookie, and with her mouth still full, she added, “Thank you for sharing, too!”

Eating the cookie (and a bag of Sunchips) seemed to calm Ryleigh down as far as any mood swing that she was having went. After that and some water, she was just tired. Of course, she wanted to go to sleep on her father’s lap because the bus seats just weren’t as comfortable. Once she was settled under a little blanket that Link had brought in the carry-on, he asked, “Want me to sing?” It usually helped her get to sleep pretty quick.

Ryleigh clutched Raffy tightly as she snuggled up to her father, her face against his stomach. She nodded and, voice muffled by Raffy, mumbled vaguely, “Sing the good song,” trusting that he would know exactly what she meant.

As a matter of fact, Link knew just what song he was referring to, and it wasn’t exactly something he qualified as a lullaby, but it was whatever worked. As long as it got her to sleep, he was happy. Softly, he began to sing, “Stars shining bright above you. Night breezes seem to whisper ‘I love you’. Birds singing in the sycamore trees. Dream a little dream of me…” Then, as he brushed more hair from her face, he continued. He must have sung the song five times before she drifted off, but that was understandable. She’d always needed more than one lullaby. As long as, in the end, she got to sleep (which she did), he was happy to repeat it.

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 at 10:30 AM; Enid, Oklahoma**

* * *

“Daddy, are we almost to Lost Angeles?” Ryleigh asked with a frown and a small sigh. She hadn’t expected to have to be on the bus for as long as they had been. “There’s no toys here…” For a girl her age, she was being a real trooper, but the length of the trip was still taking a toll on her.

“No, darlin',” Link sighed. Ryleigh really was doing well for a child her age. He would have expected a blowout fit ten hours ago. “We’re not, but we do have a layover soon. That means we’ll be able to go outside and stretch our legs. Until then, how about we play a game?”

“A game?” Ryleigh’s eyes widened with surprise and excitement. “Can we play hide and seek? I wanna hide first!” The girl climbed off of her seat and started trying to climb underneath it. “Close your eyes and count, Daddy!” she instructed.

“No, no, baby. The bus is too small for hide and seek,” Link laughed. She was just so cute when she got excited about something. “Get back on your chair. How about we play I Spy?”

Ryleigh was quiet for a moment, hesitating before doing what she was told and climbing back up into her seat. “What’s eyes pie? Sounds yummy,” she giggled.

“No, silly girl,” Link chuckled. “Eye,” he broke down, pointing to his eye. “Spy. Spy means to see. Eye Spy is looking for something and then you say, for example, ‘I spy something yellow’ and the other person tries to find it. Do you understand?”

Without answering her dad, Ryleigh stood up on her chair and began to scan the bus before turning back to Link. “I spy something yellow!” she announced, repeating exactly what he had said and giggling mischievously.

“Hm… Is it… Raffy?” Link asked, knowing that it was likely the wrong answer. She was holding him and there was no way that she could see him at the back of the bus. “Do you spy Raffy?”

“I changed my mind! Something grey! Bet you won’t guess it!” she let out in a rush, not wanting to admit he was right. She was trying her best to trick him, and not doing a very good job, obviously trying to hide Ellie under her seat and out of his sight.

“Hm…” Link was honestly surprised that he had guessed right, knowing that Ryleigh was much more clever, but now, he had to act like he didn’t know the answer to the most obvious question in the world. “Is it the clouds?” The clouds were white. “Do you spy the clouds?”

Ryleigh giggled at her father’s answer. “No, silly! It’s not the _clouds_!” she teased. “Clouds are white! I know my colors better than you!” She patted him on the head with the hand not currently holding Ellie out of the way. “Try again!”

Link went through multiple things that it could be, including but not limited to the floor and the poles that riders hold onto, before finally landing on Ellie with a dopey smile on his face. “Is it… Ellie the Elephant?”

Ryleigh clapped her hands together, cheering. “Yay, Daddy! You finally got it!” she enthused with a sweet giggle. She raised Ellie up and showed her father the stuffie with a grin.

“Ryleigh, honey, you can’t hide the thing I’m supposed to spy,” Link laughed loudly. “That’s cheating.”

“It’s your turn!” Ryleigh said, completely ignoring what he had told her. The only thing that registered in her mind was that she had done a relatively good job at tricking the man. This was going to be a very long game if Daddy kept guessing like that!

It wasn’t long before Ryleigh had somehow managed to get the entire bus involved in their game of I Spy. Link, of course, was constantly apologizing for her. Caroline had always said that children were supposed to be seen and not heard, and Ryleigh was definitely being heard at the moment. Link practically wanted to bury his face in his hands and die because he couldn’t get her under control. At least she seemed to be enjoying herself.

It had been a very long time since Ryleigh had had as much fun as she was having in that moment. She felt like she had made friends with everyone else on the bus. “Daddy, I Spy is my new favorite game,” she said sweetly once there was a lull in the game.

“I’m so glad, honey,” he said as the bus came to a stop. “Unfortunately, though, it’s time to get off of the bus now.” The bus was stopping so that people could explore a little and be back in a couple of hours, but Link was planning on getting on a completely new bus. He and Ryleigh needed new hair colors, and he couldn’t allow them to get back on the same bus after that. So, a transfer it was.

When she realized the bus was stopping, Ryleigh perked up and stared out the window. “Are we at Lost Angeles now, Daddy?” she asked with excitement. She thought to herself that the man had made the trip sound like it’d be a lot longer than what it had been.

“No, sweetheart. We’re in Oklahoma,” he said as he gathered their bags and followed her off the bus. “Los Angeles is in California. We have to get on another bus to get there, but first, we’re taking a little break to do something fun.” Link flagged down a taxi the minute he saw one, and he settled their bags before helping Ryleigh inside. “Take us to the nearest hair salon, please.”

Of course, Ryleigh was rather disappointed upon hearing that they weren’t finished with the bus rides quite yet, but she couldn’t be too upset when she was promised something fun. “Why are we going to a hair salon?” she asked softly, eyes wide with curiosity as she hugged Ellie and Raffy close.

“Because we’re gonna get our hair done, silly.” In addition to getting their hair colored, Link was going to get his cut and shaped and Ryleigh was going to get at least a few inches off of hers. “Isn’t that what the hair salon is for?”

Ryleigh’s hair had been long and blonde her entire life. Sure, she’d get a trim from time to time, but her mother would never let anyone do anything more than that to it. She was a creative girl, so her imagination was running wild. Certainly not expecting it to be allowed, Ryleigh still asked, “Daddy, can my hair be pink? I want pretty pink hair like a magical princess.”

Link thought the prospect over for a long time. He loved Ryleigh’s hair more than anybody, and pink hair didn’t sound like a very good plan to him. However, he knew that he wouldn’t have enough money to do something fun like this for a long time, so he had to agree. “Of course it can, darlin’.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark for being such awesome betas, and to magicbubblepipe for the lovely artwork! Also, sorry for the late update! I'm sure it's already Tuesday for some of you, but we had a formatting issue. Whoops! Our apologies.

Eyes opened wide with shock, Ryleigh, began to hop excitedly in her seat as she asked, “Really?” She was about to mention how angry her mother would be, but remembered what her father had said not too long ago. Her mommy didn’t have to know. Her rules didn’t matter anymore. “You should have pink hair too, Daddy.”

Link laughed. A big, deep, guttural laugh that hurt his ribs. He should really keep himself under better control. “I’d love to, baby, but Daddy’s hair needs to be work-appropriate.”

“Pink hair is everywhere appropriate,” the girl stated confidently, despite fumbling over the last word. “We can be twins!”

“Maybe someday, princess,” Link compromised. He was sure that his new boss at IBM would not be happy if he came into work on his first day with fuschia hair. 

Soon, the taxi cab stopped in front of a salon and Link, Ryleigh, and their luggage got out.

Of course, Ryleigh was extremely excited, knowing that soon enough, her dream of having pink hair like a couple of her dolls back home would become a reality. However, there was one other thing on her mind. “Daddy? Can my hair not be in a braid after?” she questioned softly as they stood outside the salon. Caroline always had the hair stylist create a beautiful French braid after each trim, and Ryleigh never enjoyed the experience.

Truthfully, Link couldn’t care less about Ryleigh’s hair being styled. She could have it any way she wanted it as far as he was concerned, so long as it didn’t look ratty. It was only a bonus that she smiled wider than the sun when he said, “Sure, kiddo. No braid.”

Still grasping tightly onto Ellie and Raffy, Ryleigh wrapped her arms around her father’s legs in a hug. “Thank you,” she said in a sweet little voice, looking up at him with her bright smile and wide eyes.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he smiled, hugging back. “Now, let’s get inside, huh?” 

Luckily for Link, there wasn’t much of a wait before somebody was available. “Hi, I don’t have an appointment, but my daughter and I would like our hair done,” he said to the only employee in the shop, a female hairdresser.

Ryleigh looked up at the woman in awe. She had long, wavy locks that were dyed a bright purple that made the woman look like a superhero, as far as Ryleigh was concerned. “I want pink!” Ryleigh announced excitedly.

The hairdresser chuckled softly and nodded. “Sounds like a plan,” she said to Link. “You two are lucky. I was all booked up but I got a cancellation. And I’ve got plenty of pink dye in the back, as long as you’re okay with that, Pops,” she teased.

“As long as mine isn't dyed to match, it’s fine by me,” Link laughed. “I was thinking a nice pastel pink and a few inches off for her.” Ryleigh’s hair pretty much went down to her hips. “Like, a medium length cut.” Link knew Ryleigh would be happy. Her long hair always got in the way. “And then for me, I need black and hair that goes up.”

Nodding, the hairdresser began to play gently with Ryleigh’s hair, thinking through what she’d do with it. She stopped her hand a couple of inches below the girl’s shoulders and asked, “About this length? I can add some layering, too. As for your hair, I can cut it nice and short on the sides and throw some pomade in it, if that sounds good?” Before Link could respond, she added, “If we go with that, it’ll cost around one hundred dollars for each of you.”

Link internally screamed at the prospect of paying two hundred dollars for their hair to be done. That would mean that he had spent nearly six hundred dollars in less than twenty-four hours, something that he hadn’t done in a very long time. “Uhm… That sounds good, but no layering, please.” He wasn’t even going to mention the price. He’d just have to take that hit and roll with it.

The hairdresser flashed a thumbs up before asking, “So, who’s going first?”

Of course, Ryleigh’s hand shot up and she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. Before the woman could ask her to, Ryleigh happily climbed into the chair and sat down.

“So, what are your names?” the hairdresser asked both Ryleigh and her father as she placed a drape to cover the girl’s clothes. “My name is Ally.”

“Link,” he said simply, smiling. That was all he could get out before his daughter interjected.

“My name’s Ryleigh!” she shouted, beaming. “I’m five years old!”

“Nice to meet you both,” she laughed softly in response to Ryleigh’s excitement at sharing. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to go mix up the dye.”

Ally returned in just a few moments with two small bowls of dye and began to paint the pink into Ryleigh’s hair. It was so light naturally that it didn’t need bleach. “Are you two from around here?” she asked in an attempt to make some small talk.

“No, we’re just passing through,” Link told her, not sharing any more in fear of giving away valuable information. Of course, Ryleigh wasn’t nearly as tactful.

“Daddy and me are gonna live in Lost Angeles,” she provided, grinning. “We’re running away from Mommy.”

Ally paused her painting and raised her eyebrows, shooting a glance at Link. She went back to painting but hesitated a moment before asking, “And why are you doing that?” She wasn’t sure if she had understood the girl correctly.

Before Link could get a word in edgewise to tell Ryleigh not to bother the nice lady with that information, she answered for herself. “Cause Mommy is very, very mean sometimes. Mommy’s like a bear. Mean and scary.”

  
“Ryleigh!” Link exclaimed, burying his face in his hands. “We don’t say those things to strangers! Didn’t we talk about this?!”

Trying to diffuse the situation, Ally shook her head and assured him, “Don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t believe the things people tell me. Or any hairdresser, really.” She paused a moment before mouthing to Link so Ryleigh wouldn’t hear, “Abusive?”

Link nodded his head subtly in reply so as not to alert Ryleigh. He didn’t feel any better at the hairdresser’s assurances; in fact, his stomach only felt more sick. What ever happened to, ‘children should be seen and not heard’?

Ally nodded and put the brush she was using to paint the dye into Ryleigh’s hair down onto her tray. “All done, sweetheart! Time to bake it!” she said cheerily, showing Ryleigh the heater. “You have to sit here for a little bit while I put the dye in your Daddy’s hair. Sound good?” 

Ryleigh nodded enthusiastically and swung her feet, humming to herself.  
  
Once Ally returned to Link, she had a more serious look on her face. “I have a boy about Ryleigh’s age. I had to pack up and get us both away from my ex. I’ve been in your shoes. The makeovers are on the house,” she said.

Link’s eyes blew wide at the gift, and he began to sputter. “That’s totally not…- I couldn’t do that. You deserve to be paid for your job. Thank you so much, but-” Even though it would be a big relief to his budget, Link couldn’t do that to somebody. It just wasn’t right.

Ally laughed and patted Link on the shoulder in reassurance. “Nonsense. I won’t take your money. The only payment I need is you getting to where you’re going safe and sound.” With a gentle squeeze to his shoulder, she added, “Now how ‘bout you sit back and let me get to work?”

Ally looked like a woman who wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, so Link could only thank her profusely and do as he was told. “If you don’t mind my asking,” he began, lowering his voice. “How do you do it? Were you ever reported? Are people looking for you two?”

She sighed deeply as she began to work on the man’s hair. “We were never reported, no. I got really lucky. I changed our names and we moved around a lot in the beginning. Lived in some sketchy motels. Not the best. But I didn’t have money to take along, either,” she explained. “I honestly can’t say if we were ever being searched for. My ex wasn’t exactly the most caring person in the world. You got much of a plan?” she questioned.

Link knew he couldn’t nod his head, so he simply flashed a thumbs up in the mirror. “Changed our names, finally gonna put my degree to use in the job I got lined up. We’ve got an apartment, but we don’t take possession until a couple weeks from now, so it’s going to be a motel until then. The only thing left is to get her into school.”

Ally nodded as she began painting the black dye onto Link’s head. “You’re also moving a lot further away than we did. For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing,” she assured him softly. 

  
Painting the dye into Link’s hair took a fraction of the time that Ryleigh’s hair did, so soon enough, she had Link sit under the drier next to his daughter. “You’ll both be done in no time!”

Thanking Ally, Link sat down and flashed a big smile at Ryleigh. She looked so excited sitting there, swinging her feet back and forth while she waited to be finished. “You having fun, baby girl?”

“Yeah!” she exclaimed, and they went back to allowing their hair to, as Ally referred to it, “bake”.

* * *

**Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 at 1:40 PM; Enid, Oklahoma**

* * *

It took a few more minutes for Link and Ryleigh’s hair to bake, and after that, Ally washed it out for them. Drying Ryleigh’s hair was all it took for hers to be finished, but Link’s took extra time for drying and styling, teaching him how to do it along the way.

“All right, guys,” Ally smiled. “Y’all ready for the big reveal?”

“Yeah!” Ryleigh piped up, wiggling in an attempt to get her chair to turn, but failing.

“Close your eyes,” the hairdresser warned before turning their chairs around. Ryleigh barely waited for her countdown before she popped her eyes back open. The shout that escaped her upon seeing her new hair could probably be heard from the next state over.

“It looks so pretty!” she squeaked, her smile wider than the entire state of Texas. “I looooove it!”

“What do you say to Ally, sweetheart?” Link asked, too concerned with hid daughter’s manners to notice his own hair.

“Oh! Thank you, Ally!” Ryleigh squealed and stood up on her chair so that she could hug the woman. Of course, it wasn’t the safest move, but she was far from concerned.

“You’re welcome, honey,” Ally grinned and squeezed the girl. “Now, what do you think? Should Daddy take a look at all my hard work?”

“Yeah!” she said again, parroting the hairdresser and instructing Link to take a peek. “It looks amaaazing, Daddy! You look so different!”

Link turned his head to face the mirror, nodding as he agreed. He did look different. So different, in fact, that he barely recognized himself as Hunter Lockwood. Though, he supposed, that was the point. He was Link Neal now.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at himself, admiring- no, soaking in, his new appearance.

“Thank you,” Link whispered to Ally as he hugged her tightly. He had never been much of a toucher with anybody outside of his own family, but this was called for. She had done something big for him, and she needed to know that he appreciated it.

“Don’t mention it, Link.” She knew how important reinforcing his new name was. It certainly had been for her. “You just take care of that little girl, but don’t forget about yourself.”

“I won’t,” he said into her ear before pulling away and giving her a weak smile. “C’mon, Ry. Let’s get going.”

Hopping off of her chair, Ryleigh emulated Link and hugged Ally before skipping out of the door, calling after her father to follow.

When Link reached the outside of the building, he waved through the glass and smiled at the wave he received in return.

Walking away from the salon and toward the bus station to catch a new bus, Link felt invigorated. This was the start of a new life. This was positive [(x)](https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/57216673_2321180004600390_8039226072761368576_n.png?_nc_cat=100&_nc_oc=AQlKfqn-FyFVQHuaPrLqBUWERk97j9W_YlGZ2M4l3bvOVMYkgLerezvqaDX_97SB6ZQ&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=c1cd17db5226b267c7209491807d85d6&oe=5D933691).

“Where are we going, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked, craning her neck to look up at Link as they took step after step.

“To the bus station to get back on a bus,” he explained, and that elicited a whine from Ryleigh.

“I wanna be in Lost Angeles already!”

“I know, sweetie,” Link said. “We’ll be there very soon, I promise you. You just need to be patient for a little while longer.”

“Okaaay,” she sighed as she trudged along in front of her father. The faster they got to the bus station, the faster they’d be in Lost Angeles.

It didn’t take them long to arrive back at the bus station, and it took even less time for Link to get them a transfer to another bus. Of course, they couldn’t have people from their previous bus recognizing them and being able to identify their new appearances.

Naturally, as expected, Ryleigh wasn’t pleased when she found that she had lost her friends made from a bus-wide game of I Spy.

“Daddy, where are all my friends?” she asked with a cross between a huff and a whine.

“They’re on a different bus, sugar,” he said softly as they sat down. “I’m sorry, we had to get on another one.”

“But what about my friends? I don’t have any friends anymore!”

“That’s okay,” he said and stroked her newly pastel pink hair and the bus began to pull out of the station parking lot. “You’ll make new friends, baby.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to our awesome betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark!

**Wednesday, October 17th, 2017 at 12:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

The taxi ride to the motel in which they would be staying was full of genuine joy and excitement on Ryleigh's part, and the same feigned emotions on Link’s. Ryleigh was overjoyed to finally be in ‘Lost Angeles’, a place of dreams. Link was happy just to be away from home. From _her_.

The little girl spent the drive pointing out everything that she saw that was even remotely interesting, from birds to trees to a cool 1950’s car passing them by. It made the ride to the motel go much faster for her, but it dragged it on for Link, who would rather have silence after being in such close quarters with her and having minimal adult contact for days in a row. It wasn’t that he didn’t love her. He just needed his own time to take everything in.

Luckily, the drive ended after twenty or so minutes. Rather, it paused. Link had asked the driver to wait while he checked into the motel and put his bags away, which he agreed to.

Link barely registered what the motel room looked like as he placed their bags down in a rush before grabbing what he’d need for their next stop: His new identification card, a copy of Ryleigh’s birth certificate (of course with her updated surname) and most recent immunization records, and money to pay the driver as well as to maybe grab lunch and pick up some groceries. After that, he rushed back out and got himself and his daughter back in the cab. There was no reason to run up the fare more than he had to.

It was another twenty-five minutes before they pulled up at a school, the name constructed in large letters on the front of the building: Suncrest Elementary.

“What’s that, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked, pointing to the school as Link paid the driver.

“It’s a school, hon,” Link said as they hopped out of the cab and stepped onto the sidewalk.

“Do I have to go to school _now_?” Ryleigh questioned, beginning to tear up. She didn’t want to learn at this school. Not today, not ever! She hadn’t even had time to get used to the fact that she’d have to go yet!

“No, no,” Link assured her. “Not today. We’re just gonna talk to somebody to see how to sign you up.”

The sense of relief that washed over Ryleigh upon hearing those words was immediate, and she smiled when he said them, though it wasn’t as large as a regular smile. Signing her up meant she still had to go. “Okay.”

Link had some trouble finding the main office, but thankfully, one of the kind staff members directed him to it.

When he entered the office, he found a man behind the front counter. He was dressed in a casual suit and had short brown hair and an even shorter beard. He looked official enough to talk to.

“Excuse me,” Link said as he approached the desk and placed the documents down, catching the man’s eye. “I’d like to talk to somebody about signing my daughter up for kindergarten as well as the after-school program.”

“You’ve come to the right place, then,” the man said, standing up from his seat and walking over to stand behind the front desk counter. Reaching over the desk, the man held out his hand for Link to shake. “I’m Jason Inman, the principal here.”

“Charles Neal,” he introduced, shaking the man he now knew as Jason’s hand. “And this,” he said, gesturing to Ryleigh once his hand was released, “is my daughter, Ryleigh.”

Peeking over the desk at the girl in front of it, Jason smiled excitedly. “Hello!” he greeted her. “Wow, I love your hair, Ryleigh!”

“Thank you, sir!” Ryleigh said, patting the top of her head. “I got it done at the _salon_.”

“That’s awesome!” he grinned, and then turned his attention back to Link. “She’s adorable. I’ll just need a few things. You’ll need to fill out a couple of forms, and I’ll need immunization records, her birth certificate, your ID, and proof of address like a paystub or a bill in your name.”

Link readily supplied everything that he was asked for _until_ he was asked for proof of address. He hoped that it wouldn’t be too much of an issue. “Okay, Jason. I’m gonna level with you. We just moved here and we’re in a motel right now waiting to take possession of our apartment. Could you do with an ID of the address we will have and also the physical form and the birth certificate? Please? There’s nobody at home to watch her and I start my job soon. I need to get her in here ASAP.”

Jason sighed deeply and after studying Link’s face for a moment, he looked down at the desk. He thought for a moment before making his decision. “I could probably get into some trouble for saying yes, but I can tell you need it and I’m not about to make things harder on you. So, sure. Just don’t make me regret trusting you,” he said, flashing a small smile and hoping he hadn’t made a mistake. “As I’m sure you know, the school year is already in progress, but that should be okay. When will she be joining us?”

“Thank you so much, Jason. You don’t know how grateful I am. Would you mind terribly if she started on Monday? I want to give her a couple days to get settled.”

“Monday is perfect. I know either one of our kindergarten teachers would be happy to have her, but there’s a spot for her in our male teacher’s class. I’ll let him know to look out for you two Monday morning. Welcome to the family!” he exclaimed, pulling out the forms that Link needed and sliding them over to him along with a pen. “Just fill those out and you’re good to go.”

Link nodded and thanked him, scrawling the information required into each allotted spot. He finished rather quickly thanks to his cursive handwriting and he wondered, briefly, if they still taught that in schools.

Once he handed the forms over, they were free to leave, but he needed to do one last thing first. “I’m sorry, is there a phone I could possibly use to call a cab?” He really needed a cellphone.

“Oh, of course.” Jason directed him behind the desk. “Just dial nine to get out.” Who in this day and age didn’t have a mobile phone? His eyes seemed to ask, already having the feeling that this guy was going to be something else.

Thanking the man once more, Link moved behind the desk and to one of the smaller desks behind it, picking up the phone and dialing the number that Jason fed him for the taxi service. It had been a long time since he had used anything but Uber, though, so it took a moment to recall.

Soon, the cab was out front and Jason waved goodbye to Link and Ryleigh.

It was much easier to climb into this cab than the one at the bus station due to the fact that they had no luggage with them. Within seconds, they were settled and Link requested that the driver take them to the nearest grocery store.

“What are we gonna get at the store, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“Just a couple things to eat, baby,” Link explained, leaning his elbow against the window and resting his chin on his hand.

“Like _candy_?” Ryleigh gasped. She was very hopeful, though not expectant. Her Mommy rarely allowed her to have candy.

“Like candy,” Link laughed. “But only one bag. What kind of candy are you thinkin’ you want Daddy to buy you?”

Ryleigh’s face lit up at the promise that she’d be allowed to get candy, but she didn’t have an answer as to what kind. After all, she hadn’t been allowed candy very much in her life and wasn’t sure of her options. “Hm… One that Mommy would _hate_ ,” she settled on with a giggle.

“Okay,” Link chuckled. “I know just the kind.”

* * *

 

**Wednesday, October 17th, 2017 at 1:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

When they arrived at the grocery store, Link already had a mental list of the cheapest items he could think of, but he hoped that by buying generic, he could get them even cheaper. After all, he was already throwing money to the fire by telling the cabbie to wait outside for them.

“Okay, we’re gonna have to race around this store to find what we need, Ry,” Link said, and it didn’t help that he didn’t know its layout. Hopefully he would with repeated visits.

“Like I do with Mommy?!” Ryleigh asked. The thought crossed Link’s mind that he would have to teach her to change her language regarding her mother to the past tense, but that was a lesson for another time.

“Like you did with Mommy,” he echoed subtly, and Ryleigh cheered.

And with that, they went around the store, buying things like sugary cereal (and he definitely splurged on some name brand Frosted Mini Wheats and peanut butter to go with it), bread, pasta… anything cheap. In addition, he picked up some eyeliner in order to place fake birthmarks on Ryleigh’s skin to throw anybody looking off their trail even further.

The last aisle that they stopped in was the candy aisle, and he quickly grabbed a small bag of mini Reese’s Cups. Caroline was deathly allergic to peanut butter, so he hadn’t so much as lived in a house with a jar of it in years, but now, he _finally_ could, and he was ecstatic.

“Is that the candy that Mommy hates?” Ryleigh asked as Link rushed off and she struggled to keep up. He really wanted to keep the meter cost to a minimum.

“Yeah, honey,” he confirmed.

“Yay!”

Thankfully, the cashier was nice enough to scan coupons for him even though he didn’t have a rewards card at first (but hell if he didn’t now; they were free!), so the price didn’t hurt his metaphorical wallet too much. He certainly needed all the help he could get in that department.

* * *

 

**Wednesday, October 17th, 2017 at 1:35 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Link couldn’t help but collapse on the king-sized mattress the moment he had finished unpacking the groceries. He was so exhausted from getting barely any sleep, and poor quality sleep at that, on the bus that he felt he could sleep on this twenty year old mattress for a week straight. “Nap time, Ry Ry. Take off your shoes and come cuddle.”

“Okay!” she said and kicked off her shoes. She was excited to nap with him. As far as she was concerned, they didn’t cuddle nearly enough. “You too, Daddy!”

“No, no,” he groaned. “Daddy’s too tired. I’ll just leave mine on.”

“I’ll take them off for you!” she said, but try as she might, she was unable to yank his shoes off due to the double knotted laces.

Grumbling at her failure, she climbed on the bed and apologized.

“That’s okay, sweetie,” Link assured, pulling her close. “I’ll take them off after we get some shut-eye.”

“Okay,” she sighed and laid her head on his chest. “Night night, Daddy.”

“Night night, Ry.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much love to our amazing betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 6:40 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

_Sirens. Red and blue lights flashing, lighting up the motel in the rain. Cold metal rings clasping shut, tight against his wrists. So tight, he couldn’t help but let out a whimper. Then there was Ryleigh, screaming and crying, trying to reach out for him, begging him not to go. Raffy and Ellie laying in a puddle soaking up rainwater, but Ryleigh too upset to notice or care. One officer was holding her back, while another shoved him violently into the back of a squad car. He could barely handle the sight of his little girl, as upset as she was, but he couldn’t look away. He knew it would likely be the last time he’d see her face._

Link woke with a start at six o’clock sharp from the nightmare, clearly having not had enough rest. But upon glancing at the clock, he knew it was time to start the day. He showered and dressed for his big first day at work, but decided to let Ryleigh sleep in as much as possible before her own big day. Now, however, it was her turn to get dressed and have her freckles done.

“Ryleigh, my love,” Link singsonged quietly into her ear, leaning over the bed to do so as well as plant a kiss to her forehead. “Time to wake up, sweetheart.”

After a second attempt, Ryleigh’s eyes fluttered open and she whined softly. “But Daddy, I wanna sleeeeeep.”

“I’m sorry baby, but you can’t. Remember, I told you last night that today is your first day at your new school?”

Ryleigh grumbled, but didn’t say much more. She had resigned herself to the fact that she’d have to go. “Five more minutes?” she settled on asking instead of her usual, “ _Pleeeeeease_ don’t make me?”

“No, sorry, kiddo. I’ve already given you forty more minutes. C’mon, you get to put on the special new outfit you picked out.” Thank God for their trip to Goodwill on Saturday. “Up and at em.”

Sighing, Ryleigh rolled over and into Link before getting out of bed and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Planting her feet on the floor and yawning,she looked up at her father. “I get to wear my special outfit?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned and pointed to the side of the bed that Ryleigh hadn’t slept on. The outfit was waiting there for her, laid out nice and neatly.

“Okay. Can I have some breakfast before I get ready? My tummy has been rumblin’ all night.”

Link nodded his head and laughed, already moving to the kitchen area. “Of course, sweetie. How about you and I each have some Frosted Mini Wheats with milk?”

Ryleigh nodded her approval, and Link instructed her to go brush her teeth while he was preparing their bowls. He deserved one, and only one, bowl of the stuff before he gave the rest to her.

When Ryleigh returned ten minutes later, having not only brushed her teeth but used the bathroom and washed her hands, she looked considerably more awake.

Link smiled at his daughter when he saw that she had returned. “Morning, sunshine. Whaddaya say you get over here before your cereal turns soggy?” Smartly, he had waited to pour the milk until he heard the toilet flush.

The little girl nodded and walked over to the kitchen island, trying and failing to get up on the barstool that the motel called a seat before asking for her father’s help. The chairs at home were easier to get onto than this.

“So, you ready to meet your new teacher and make some friends today?” Link asked as he dug into his favorite cereal.

“ _No,_ ” Ryleigh answered honestly. “I wanna stay home with you.”

“I know, baby,” Link sighed. “But you know Daddy has to work, and there are no kids allowed in my building. But I promise, you’ll have lots of fun. Would a piece of chocolate make you feel better?” he asked, and when Ryleigh perked up, he chuckled. He knew what kind of hole he was digging himself into, but he hoped that bribery didn’t become a regular thing regardless.

“Yeah! _Two_ chocolates, please.”

“One,” he returned and went to the cabinet to retrieve a Reese’s cup from the bag on the top shelf. Warning her before tossing it, Link exclaimed, “Catch!”

Not unexpectedly, Ryleigh did not, in fact, catch, and the Reese’s cup hit her in the forehead, which sent her into a fit of giggles. Hopefully the rest of the morning, and hopefully most of the rest of their new life together, would be this bright.

 

* * *

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 7:55 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Thankfully, Ryleigh’s new school had a program that meant he could drop her off early, but Link decided to drop her off on time today so that he could meet her new teacher.

The bus stopped about five minutes from Suncrest Elementary, and they walked the rest of the way, joining the flow of students and parents heading in the same direction.

It was only when they got inside that Link realized that he had forgotten to ask Jason for Ryleigh’s homeroom number. He had the teacher’s name, of course, but hell if he knew where his class was.

The last thing he wanted to, or could, do, however, was go to the office and ask. It was something that he should know, and he’d look like a fool if he had to ask for help. He supposed he would just have to try to figure it out himself.

“Okay, Ry,” Link said, squeezing her hand to let her know that his previous silence didn’t mean that he was lost in his head like last week when they were leaving their old home. “Let’s try and hunt this guy’s classroom down, hm?”

“What does he look like, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked. She needed a frame of reference so that she knew what to search for.

“I don’t know, baby,” Link answered.

“Then how am I s’pposed to know which classroom is his?”

“I don’t know, baby.”

* * *

Link and his daughter wandered around the school for what must have been ten minutes looking for Ryleigh’s class, stopping when he peeked through one doorway to find a man who looked like he had the name of Ryleigh’s teacher. He was a reasonably tall man with brown hair and what Link could only describe as a pornstache, and was wearing a grey shirt and distressed blue jeans, holding a Starbucks coffee in his left hand while pointing to the board with his right. _Hipster_.

However, when he stepped inside, he noticed that something was… off. The room was brightly colored, but not nearly as much as Link would have expected, and there were desks instead of group tables like he had had in kindergarten. Not only that, but the children were considerably larger than the typical set of kindergarteners should be.

He scratched his head for a moment, wondering if he had stepped into some alternate dimension between here and the front doors, but then he looked at the wall to find a string of letters that read… oh. _Mr. Morris’s Third Grade Class._ That would explain it.

“Can I help you, sir?” Mr. Morris asked, quirking an eyebrow in Link’s direction as he stopped what he was doing to assist the strange man in his class.

“Uh… No… Sorry. I was looking for a male _kindergarten_ teacher, which you are clearly not. I must have just gotten turned around,” he explained, beginning to back out of the class.

“Wait a minute!” Mr. Morris called, walking up to him. “I know where you’re going. I’ll take you. Just let me grab somebody to watch my class.”

Stepping outside of the room, Mr. Morris went next door to another third grade class and found a man dressed in a black button down and black jeans, one with longer brown hair than his and gauges in his ears. His class, however, was void of children. “Hey, Morgan. Mind keeping an eye on my kids for a second? I got a parent who got lost and I’ve got to take him down to the little kids wing.”

“Sure thing,” Morgan said, giving a small smile before following Mr. Morris back to his class. He thought about introducing himself to the man in the doorway, and decided to do it even though he briefly thought he shouldn’t for a moment. Of course he should. The staff were supposed to be friendly. “Hi, I’m Morgan Locke,” he said, holding out his hand to Link. “I’m the other third grade teacher here.”

“Hi Morgan,” Link grinned. “Charles Neal,” he said, and the name felt foreign on his tongue. It wasn’t because he hadn’t had it very long, either. He had already gotten used to introducing himself as Link. But as with Jason, he thought it was best to go by his more formal name rather than his nickname. After all, this school was, apparently, full of fancy people, and he needed to at least attempt to fit in.

Ryleigh, as with Jason, was confused when she heard her father introduce himself as Charles. First, he was no longer Hunter, and now, he wasn’t Link either? Was he going to use a new name with every person that he met? She simply shrugged it off, though, knowing there was likely a reason.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, and Link let out a “likewise”, and then Morgan was on his way to say hello to Mr. Morris’s class.

“I don’t think I introduced myself,” Mr. Morris laughed. “Colin Morris,” he said as they walked down the long hallway. “What’s your name, sweetheart?” he asked Ryleigh.

She barely looked him in the eye. “Ryleigh Neal,” she mumbled. Link had drilled it into her over the weekend that her name was no longer Lockwood. He thought it was best to let her keep her first name, since it was a part of her now, and she would take the kind of time that they didn’t have to answer to anything else, but the surname had had to go.

“That’s a pretty name,” he smiled. “My name’s Colin.”

Link hummed to himself as he thought about just how informal that was. Teachers allowing students to call them by their first names was so foreign to him. Usually one didn’t get that privilege until college, and sometimes not even then. However, he shrugged it off, assuming that things just worked differently in Los Angeles.

After taking a right, going down another hall, and turning left, they reached the wing that housed Pre-K through first grade, and stopped in front of one of many colorful doors with student’s names and photos on them with decorative paper as a backdrop.

“And here we are. One kindergarten classroom for one Miss Ryleigh Neal.”

“Thank you so much,” Link said. “I don’t think I would be making it to work on time without you.”

“Don’t mention it. This school’s a maze. But you’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”

“Colin!” a man’s voice boomed from inside the room, as he had a visual on the third-grade teacher from the door. “What brings you to my neck of the woods, buddy?”

“Oh, just dropping off your new student and her dad,” he laughed. “They got turned around.”

“Oh!” he exclaimed, completely forgetting his manners and foregoing thanking him. He didn’t seem to mind, though, as he walked away. “Ryleigh! I’ve been expecting you! Come on in!”

At the sound and sight of the man, Ryleigh hid behind Link and covered her face with Raffy, who she’d begged Link to let her take with her (he wasn’t about to say no, if it meant her day would be even slightly better). And her father understood why.

He had kind green eyes and wavy blond hair that stood up atop his head. He wore a white and blue cactus sweater with blue jeans to match, and wore the biggest, goofiest smile Link had ever seen on a man, despite it being somewhat concealed by a beard. But all of that aside, he was very physically imposing, most likely standing close to seven feet tall. At Ryleigh’s size, he might as well have stood thirty feet high and been a monster out of a horror film, kind eyes and happy smile be damned. Overall, though, he was quite attractive and well put together. Link could only assume some of the PTA moms had a thing for the guy.

“It’s okay, Ry,” Link said and reached behind him to stroke her hair as she clung to his leg. “I’m sure your new teacher is very nice.”

 _This_ was her new teacher?! No way! She was definitely going to work with Daddy today, and every day going forward.

The teacher realized what the problem was immediately. It had been this way for as long as he’d been a teacher. Accommodating her, he squatted down and balanced on the balls of his feet. “He’s right, you know. I don’t bite, Ryleigh.”

Link wanted to turn around and pick Ryleigh up to comfort her, but decided against it. if he picked her up, he wasn’t sure she was going to allow him to put her down.

“I’m sorry about this,” Link apologized, feeling the need to somehow explain his daughter’s behavior. “It’s just… She’s shy.” Ryleigh was anything but shy. She would talk to anybody until their ears fell of if she was allowed. But Link didn’t want to be rude. “Hi, I’m her dad. Charles Neal.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Neal. My name’s Rhett McLaughlin, but most folks around here just call me Mr. Rhett. Easier for the kiddos that way,” he explained. Mr. Rhett couldn’t help but immediately notice how utterly _exhausted_ Ryleigh’s father looked. He knew all too well the face of a man who wasn’t getting enough sleep, the sight being a familiar face from the mirror in the past. He felt sorry for the guy, and hoped he could handle getting Ryleigh comfortable enough to say goodbye to her father without giving the poor guy too much stress added to whatever he was already feeling.

“Today is science day for our class. Do you like science?” the teacher asked gently. He knew kids Ryleigh’s age usually loved to participate in fun little experiments, so he was hoping the promise of some would be enough to get her excited about her first day. When the little girl didn’t respond, he continued, “We’re making _slime_ , doesn’t that sound fun?”

It certainly did. Ryleigh wasn’t completely sure what it meant, but she knew it was something she would never have been allowed to play with at home. Slowly, Ryleigh came out from behind Link’s legs and looked at the man, giving him a weak smile. She looked away almost immediately, uncharacteristically shyly.

“That’s my brave girl,” Link muttered and squeezed her hand for a second before letting it go.

“Hi there, Ryleigh,” the blond greeted once again, that huge smile still plastered on his face. Now, though, it was somehow even bigger. “I’m Mr. Rhett.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, the lovely afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark

“Hi,” Ryleigh greeted quietly, staring at the floor and causing stray strands of newly-pink hair to fall over her face.

“I love your hair, sweetie,” Rhett said, figuring that that was a good in with her. Any kid who convinced their parents to allow them to get pink hair, especially a _five year old_ kid, thought that it was pretty awesome. He would get points for acknowledging it. “Were you born with it just like that?”

That elicited a small, very small, smile from Ryleigh, and though it was partially hidden by her hair, Rhett still caught it and felt accomplished. “No, sir,” the girl replied softly. “I got it done at the _salon_.”

“Ohhh,” Rhett drew out as if he didn’t already know that was likely what had happened. “Silly me.” Looking up at Link, he mouthed the word, “Go.”

Rhett knew from experience that when children knew that their parents were leaving, they typically blew fits. If he had the opportunity to tell a person to back out when their child was distracted, it was usually for the best.

Link saw him mouth the word, and he knew he only had a split second to decide what to do, but he wasn’t quite sure about leaving Ryleigh without saying goodbye. Somehow, it would feel like betraying her trust. But it had been a struggle just to get her out from behind his legs; he couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to leave when she was clinging to him, sobbing. He would miss work entirely if that happened, and he couldn’t afford to.

So, gratefully, he backed out of the classroom and turned around, walking away and hoping he didn’t get lost on his way out.

“Ryleigh, honey, did you have breakfast at home? Would you like some Eggo pancakes?”

“No thank you, sir. I already had some yummy cereal. I’m full!” Mommy said never to overeat, unless it was a special day like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

“Okay,” he smiled. Ryleigh was certainly impressively polite, as far as he was concerned. If he were being honest, he couldn’t care less about being called ‘sir,’ but manners in general were still something a lot of his other students could improve upon. He hadn’t been called Sir, by a student at least, in years. Rhett thought back to his past student with a smile. He never forgot a single one of them, and that boy had certainly been special. “Then how about you join the kids that are done with their breakfast on the carpet over there?”

“Okay!” she exclaimed, and then turned around to give Link a hug and say goodbye. But when she faced the door, she found that her father was gone. “Daddy?” she called, confused. “Daddy?!”

“I think your Daddy went to work, sweetheart,” Rhett informed her carefully, hoping to avoid a crisis. He could see that that wasn’t going to be possible, however, when he caught sight of her bottom lip beginning to wobble. This was far from good.

Ryleigh tried her best to keep her emotions in check, to be a big girl and not cry, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t want to be left alone at school. She didn’t need new friends. She wanted to run back to her Daddy and go to work with him. She could feel all of her classmates staring at her, anyway. Nobody wanted to be friends with a _baby_ who _cried_ . None of _them_ were crying. She started to turn around to run off in the direction she’d arrived from, but felt her new teacher’s hand on her shoulder.

“I know it’s hard to start school, Ryleigh,” Mr. Rhett said softly, so that only Ryleigh could hear. He knew she was probably feeling embarrassed now, on top of already feeling scared and shy, so he didn’t need the entire class hearing what he had to say. “I promise you’ll have a great time in this class, though. You’re gonna make a bunch of new friends, and have a lot of fun playing at recess and lunch. And don’t even get me started on the _glitter slime_.” Rhett hadn’t planned on breaking out the glitter for their slime experiment that afternoon, knowing his kids would most certainly destroy the classroom with it, but he felt like it was worth it if it meant Ryleigh would feel better.

Ryleigh kept her eyes glued to the carpet as Mr. Rhett spoke to her, but couldn’t help but look up at the mention of glitter. She’d already been told about the slime of course, but now it was going to be glittery, too? She was still upset, but that did pique her interest.

Rhett was about to speak again when he was surprised to see one of his shiest students walk over. Well, maybe not shy, but certainly quiet. She was holding one of the room’s tissue boxes, which she handed to Ryleigh.

“My name is Hannah!” she said sweetly before pulling the new girl in for a hug. “Don’t be sad!”

Ryleigh tensed up from the surprise of being hugged by the stranger, but hugged back after a moment. “I’m Ryleigh,” she sniffled.

“Mr. Rhett, can Ryleigh be my science buddy for today?” Hannah asked sweetly. The students usually got paired up by pulling sticks out of a cup, but Rhett wasn’t going to deny it in this case.

* * *

 

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 10:50 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Despite the fact that he was supposed to be working, which he was trying his best to do, Link’s mind couldn’t help but drift to Ryleigh and how she was doing with her first day of kindergarten.

He sat at his desk drawing up a preliminary plan for some building or another after being briefed on what was expected of him when he first got in, but he kept thinking about how guilty he felt for leaving her without so much as saying goodbye. He’d always imagined dropping Ry off for her first day of school side by side with Caroline, so the girl could have a nice, happy send-off from her two loving parents. It wasn’t supposed to be like it had—with him sneaking away, dodging Ryleigh when she was upset and needed comfort. He had to be the worst father in the world for that, or at least pretty damn close.

He wondered if she had settled in by now, or if she was still crying about the fact that he had disappeared on her. He certainly hoped that it was the former, and might have to place his bets on that. It had been hours already, and even if it hadn’t, Ryleigh had a hard enough time showing that she was sad in front of _him._ It would probably be impossible in front of a stranger. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed his disappearance at all. He hoped that was the case—that Mr. Rhett had distracted her enough for him to slip away without incident. He really did feel awful for making her go to school. If he’d had the choice, he’d continue to homeschool his little girl for as long as he could. He knew how much fun it was for her, and it was just as much fun for him. He loved seeing the look on her face when she was excited about learning something new. He thought back to the last nature documentary they’d watched, and how her face lit up when she saw the baby elephants on screen.

Incredibly distracted, he found himself making more mistakes than he should on his drawing and decided to take a quick break at the water cooler. Maybe a cold drink and a few minutes to clear his head would do him good.

Standing up from his desk and stretching out, Link made his way to the break room where there was a water cooler and a vending machine for which he had brought no money. He needed to save every penny he had, and would soon earn, or at least spend it on his daughter.

As he filled his cup, he glanced at the television which was tuned to one of Los Angeles’s many news stations.

He saw something on it, though, that made his entire body tense up. He froze instantly in his place, unable to so much as close his eyes to get away from the image.

He wasn’t paying attention to his water anymore and eventually felt his hand become wet due to the cool liquid running over onto it.

There she was. Her fiery red hair, red-rimmed and tearful blue eyes, dressed in an approachable cream-colored pantsuit and neutral heels that Link couldn’t see from behind the podium at which she stood. The love of his life. Caroline Anne Parker.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to our awesome betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark :)

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 10:30 AM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

“Okay, so be empathetic to Hunter, but be firm. You want your daughter back. This isn’t a game. You want her home,” the liason for the police department explained, briefing Caroline on what to say and how to act during the press conference. After all, this was her first go at it, and she was heavily emotional. She needed all the help and tips that she could get. “Talk about her. What does she like to do when she isn’t at school? What is her favorite cartoon? Does she love ice cream? Give the people details to humanize Ryleigh and make her seem real to them.”

Caroline nodded, sniffling. She was glad that she wore waterproof mascara today. “Okay,” she said softly, clenching and unclenching her fists, digging her nails into the meat of her hands each time as she attempted to gain control of herself. “I can do that.”

“Do you have any questions for me?” the woman asked, placing a hand on Caroline’s shoulder as an attempt to show her some support. 

“N-No, I think I’ve got a pretty good picture.” Caroline reached up to wipe her tears away, trying not to remember the times when Hunter used to do that for her. “Thank you so much.”

“Of course. Take a few minutes, calm down, and then we’ll go on.” 

* * *

Caroline stepped up to the podium, wishing that she could just go home. Wishing she didn’t have to do this. Wishing that she could walk through her front door and find them there, alive, _okay_ , like nothing had ever gone wrong. But she knew that wasn’t going to happen—this was the way it had to be now. She would just have to resign herself to that, resign herself to the fact that she very well may never get her family back. 

Caroline cleared her throat, then tapped the microphone to make sure that it was on, before leaning down to speak. 

“My name is Caroline Parker, and five days ago, on Wednesday the 16th, my daughter, Ryleigh Lockwood, went missing with her father, Hunter. I haven’t heard from them since.

I’d like to uhm… I’d like to say a couple things about my daughter, Ryleigh. She just turned five in July and started kindergarten in September. We call her Ry, or sunshine, or,” Caroline scoffed out a stifled laugh, “I call her sweet potato because it’s all she would eat the August she was four. 

Ryleigh adores the color pink, but blue is her all-time favorite because it’s the color of all of our eyes. She loves to ride her bike, but she’s still in her training wheel stage because she’s afraid of falling and we don’t have the heart to make her just yet. Her favorite special treat is vanilla ice cream with crushed up Butterfinger pieces on the top, and…”

Caroline took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over onto her face. Maybe, just maybe, if by some astronomical chance Hunter was watching and she let them fall, he would reconsider. 

“I’m sorry. Anyway, she’s my special girl, my only child, and I’d do anything to get her back home safe. 

Hunter, if you’re listening, it doesn’t have to be like this. I’ll forgive you if you come home now. If you return our girl safely, we can forget about this and go back to our lives like they were before.” Or maybe, for once in her life, she could try to be better and she wouldn’t find herself in this mess again. “I won’t even… I won’t even press charges or anything. We can just be a family again. But to do that, you have to come back. Please. Think about how you would feel if I took her from you.”

Just because she was standing here, talking to her boyfriend on national television, didn’t mean she didn’t understand why he did what he did. He had outlined it all in the letter that she had shredded for his safety. 

* * *

 

**_Wednesday, October 17th, 2017 at 4:40 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina_ **

* * *

  _After much pacing around the room, Caroline spotted an envelope on her and Hunter’s bed. Upon closer inspection, it was addressed to her. She couldn’t help the way her heart sank upon the sight of it, but she also couldn’t help sitting it down and tearing it right open. Unfolding the letter and finding Hunter’s handwriting, as she had expected, she began to read._

_Dear Caroline,_

_By the time you’ll read this, Ry and I will be long gone. I’d like to… No. I don’t like anything about this. I’m going to start off this letter by apologizing for having to leave in the first place._

_I don’t know where it went wrong with us. I don’t know what I did to deserve what you did to me, and I know you’ve apologized and you’ve felt bad and I’ve forgiven you over and over. But going after Ryleigh like you did? I just can’t put her in harm’s way like that._

_I know it’s not your fault, honey. I know there’s something wrong in your brain, and even if I don’t know what, I know it needs to be fixed. I know how you feel about doctors, and it wasn’t fair what happened to you. But not all of them are like that, and I beg of you to do one thing for me, for you... Get yourself checked out. Talk to somebody and find out what the problem is so you don’t have to suffer anymore. You don’t deserve to have to feel the way you do._

_I did the best I could for you. You and I both know that. I’ve taken you to the hospital when your cuts got too deep, and I’ve held you crying in bed at three in the morning. I’ve born the brunt of your anger when it overtakes you, and I’ve tried my hardest never to complain. I’ve stuck by your side for years upon years, but I hate to say that it came to a point where I just couldn’t do it anymore._

_I won’t tell you where we went. I love you, but the last thing I need is for you to find us. Hell, that’s the entire reason I’m taking our daughter across the country. You need help, and we can’t be a family without it. You’re clearly unwilling, so I guess it was never meant to be._

_I adore you, Car, but Ryleigh is my first priority. She has to come first, and I have to do what’s best for her. This is it. I hope you can understand._

_There’s so much more I want to say, and it’s in the notes of my phone if you want to find out, but I’m getting an anxious feeling in my stomach that you’ll find me before I can finish copying this down. So, I have to go, now._

_Please, do this for yourself. Get help. Get the help I could never give you. It’s for the best._

__-H_ _

 

_Finding herself grasping the letter like it would disappear if she let go and clutching her hand over her mouth as she read, Caroline was keenly aware of the tears on her face that wet her cheeks and dripped down to her neck._

_She couldn’t believe this, having selfishly thought he’d stay with her forever. She supposed, though, that she deserved his leaving after all that she had put him through, all that she had put Ryleigh_ _through._

She was doing this to keep up appearances, mostly, but some part of her was hoping it would bring him back, too, even though it might not be for the best after all. He had said so in the letter, and she agreed. She was unfit to be a mother. To be a girlfriend. To be a _wife_ , which was the reason she never accepted any of his numerous proposals. She wasn’t worthy of a happy ending. 

“Hunter, darlin’, please. Just, _please_. Think about what you’ve done and do the right thing next.”

* * *

 

 **Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 11:00 AM; Los Angeles, California**  

* * *

Link stood frozen, staring at the television in the break room in the middle of his place of work, trying not to bawl his eyes out then and there. He took off his glasses in case he started crying, and it didn’t matter anyway because they were fakes. He still had his green contacts in to cover the problem of his vision. 

He’d done what he’d done for a reason. No. He’d done what he’d done for many reasons, chiefly being that Caroline refused to get help. He didn’t mean to imply that he didn’t understand why she declined a psychiatrist, because he had been told why and exactly why a thousand times. But even knowing that, he couldn’t risk Ryleigh’s safety. 

He knew he needed to get back to work, but that he couldn’t go back to his desk, past all those _people_ , in his current state. So, he drank all of the water in his paper cup down, but there might as well have been a hole in the bottom because he kept refilling it and drinking _more._

He could feel a panic attack coming, knowing that the press conference meant that Caroline had people looking for them. Even though _he_ knew it was mostly to put on a front of being in the dark about what had happened to them, the police and the rest of America did not. 

He went down a rabbit hole of wondering what would happen if they were found. Caroline wouldn’t press charges, but would the state? Would he go away for decades and not see his daughter again until she was a grown woman? Would it be like his nightmares? Would he be a free man in the eyes of the law, but chained to Caroline for the rest of his life? Would he have to go back to her?

He didn’t know, and that was the scary part. He’d have to live the rest of his life in fear, and it was unjust. All he was trying to do was find a better life for his family, Caroline included, and this is what he gets in return?

Eventually, he drank so much water that he had to replace the bottle that dispensed it, and he took the opportunity of having such a full bladder to take some more time to himself and go to the restroom. 

When he finally returned to his desk, his mind was anywhere but at IBM. He was left drawing and hoping that the second draft would be better than the first, or his boss would have his head. He just had to pray that said head wouldn’t end up on a silver platter for the Buies Creek Police Department in a day or two, or ever. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark!

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 7:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

“Mr. Rhett, look! Raffy is the king now!” Ryleigh squealed happily. She’d placed her stuffed giraffe at the top of the massive castle-shaped dollhouse in the corner of the play area, above the rest of the dolls occupying it. 

Rhett smiled earnestly, letting out a small laugh at the sight. Ryleigh was a sweet girl, and he was glad the dollhouse was doing its job to distract her from the fact that her father was now… over two hours late picking her up. Ryleigh had stayed at the after school daycare, but that had ended a while ago. Knowing that he always had his door open for his students, they’d dropped the girl off with him while the office tried to contact Mr. Neal. He was sure the poor guy had fallen asleep at his desk at work or something. He’d looked beyond exhausted that morning, so Rhett couldn’t blame him. He just hoped he was on his way. He couldn’t stay there all night long, and even if he could, he wasn’t sure how much longer the classroom’s toys would be enough to keep the girl occupied.

Ryleigh yawned noisily before sitting down on the carpet. “Are you getting tired, Ryleigh?” the girl’s teacher asked. Determined to keep playing, Ryleigh shook her head. There were too many toys for her to want to fall asleep! 

Rhett just sat back and watched as Ryleigh went from toy to toy, always making sure to involve her giraffe in one way or another. Rhett knew he should be getting some work done. He hadn’t finished making the worksheets for class the next day, and he was quickly running out of time to do it at school; if he waited much longer, he’d have to take his work home with him. But Ryleigh reminded him so much of his own daughter that it was difficult to focus on any work. 

He made sure to participate in whatever story Ryleigh was concocting with the toys at her disposal in whatever way she’d instruct him to, and it was genuinely a lot of fun. He wouldn’t give up play time with any of his students for a damn thing, even if it was at a rather inconvenient time. 

“Can I take a nap in your lap like I did with Daddy on the bus?” Ryleigh asked her teacher suddenly, finally admitting to how tired she really was. 

Rhett wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by that, but it tugged on his heartstrings regardless. He glanced at the clock and then smiled down at his newest student. “Think you can hold off on falling asleep for a little while longer, kiddo? Hopefully your pop will be here soon, so you can just sleep in your own bed.”

Rhett eventually began to notice that Ryleigh had started yawning more frequently, and saw her eyes begin to fall closed more than once. It had to have been near her bedtime by now.

“Ryleigh,” Rhett said softly, and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you come sit at my desk with me? Maybe you can take a little nap.” He felt bad for telling her no earlier. The poor girl was obviously exhausted.

“Okay,” Ryleigh agreed readily, not in the position to argue when she was so tired.  

With that, the pair stood up and made their way to Rhett’s desk in the corner of the room. When Rhett sat down, he held out his arms for Ryleigh to sit on his lap. She failed to argue, as it looked comfortable like her Daddy’s. 

“Can you play the lullaby song again?” Ryleigh asked as she crawled into his lap with Raffy in her arms, referring to the song that Rhett played on his guitar for all the students at nap time. She was used to lullabies to get to sleep. Her mother and father used to sing them to her all the time, and her Mommy had a guitar, too. “Please?”

Rhett let out a hearty chuckle at her request that would have startled her had she not been so sleepy. “I can’t play my guitar while you’re sitting in my lap, honey.”

“That’s okay,” she yawned. “I don’t need the guitar.” 

Ryleigh curled into Rhett’s chest as he logged into his computer and began tackling some work, having not had the opportunity over the past few hours. 

He hoped for Ryleigh’s sake that Link arrived soon. Playing with her might have distracted her from the fact that she was the only kid left in the school, but that didn’t change the fact that that was the case. She deserved to go home and sleep in her own bed instead of on his bony legs.  

As he typed away on his computer, he cleared his throat and began to sing “the lullaby song”. Thankfully, the typing didn’t distract her, and she was out cold within seconds. 

Rhett’s emailing, printing, budgeting, and field trip researching didn’t last for very long, though, even though he now had the time and quiet to do it, as Ryleigh breathed softly in time with his own breaths. Unfortunately, his brain went down an inescapable rabbit hole that he tried not to go down very often, but ended up doing every day. 

He missed doing this with his own children. When they were small and he could hold them in his arms, when they still called him “Daddy” and brought him admittedly shitty drawings that he loved with all of his heart all the same. When they would dress up in his clothes and stomp around in his massive clown shoes. When everything was simple and _pure_ and he didn’t feel like this. He would do anything, _give_ anything, to get those days back.  

* * *

 

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 7:35 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link rushed into Mr. Rhett’s classroom at half past seven at night, practically tripping over his own two feet to get inside. He was so late, and he was probably in some kind of _big_ trouble. Would Ryleigh get kicked out of school for his screw up?

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” he blurted out, spotting Rhett at his desk. When he noticed Ryleigh asleep in his lap, he immediately quieted his voice, making his way over to the desk so that Rhett could hear him. “My boss pulled me into a meeting just as I was walking out and it was my first day and I couldn’t say no, and I didn’t even have time to get to the phone to call and let the front office know. I’m so sorry, Mr. McLaughlin. It won’t ever happen again, I promise. Next time, I’ll tell him I can’t stay. I’ll be more assertive, I swear. I just couldn’t do it today because I had to make a good impression and-”

Rhett held up a hand to stop him in the middle of his run on sentence, putting a finger over his lips to signal for him to be quiet, and Link assumed it was due to Ryleigh, but really, it was so that Rhett could have a turn to speak.

His voice rumbled low in his chest as he spoke as quietly as he could while still being heard, and he hoped that the vibrations didn’t rouse Ryleigh. “It’s okay, Charles. It happens to everybody, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind if it happened again.” Lord knew he needed it. “Ryleigh was a perfect angel. It was your first day, I get it, and really, I didn’t mind spending the extra time with her. Gives me a chance to begin to get to know her as well as my other students. Lets me make up for the lost time. Don’t sweat it. And as I told you, ‘Mr. Rhett’ is just fine. Mr. McLaughlin makes me sound like my father.”

Link stifled a laugh at that comment and nodded. “Thank you so much, regardless, for watching her.” He needed all the help he could get right now. “I’ll try to be on time going forward.”

“Okay, but don’t worry about it if some days, you can’t be. I know how stressful a new job can be. My job is to support the students and parents, and if this is the kind of support you need, I’m happy to give it to you.”  

“Thank you,  _ Mr. Rhett _ ,” he said and gave a weak smile. 

“You’re welcome. Also, I don’t know if Principal Inman gave you the school supply list, and I can print it out for you if he didn’t, but on that list is a pillow and blanket for nap time, and I noticed that Ryleigh didn’t bring them. I always keep spares on hand, but it’s nice for the students to have their own so they can sleep with something familiar. Thankfully, her giraffe was enough of a comfort item to get her by today, but going forward, a pillow and blanket of her own would be great.”

Link nodded to Rhett’s face, but internally, he knew that he couldn’t really afford anything extra at the moment. He would of course buy her a pillow and a blanket when they moved into their new apartment, but for now, she was using what the motel provided. He supposed that he could swing it if it was really necessary, but that was only one part of it. Link wasn’t aware that there was an entire supply list that he would need to purchase. But still, he agreed. Maybe he could get most, if not all, of it for cheap at the dollar store.

“Yeah, he didn’t give it to me. It’d be great if you could.” They had all the supplies back in North Carolina. Why hadn’t he thought of it? Why didn’t he eat the cost of the extra suitcase?

Rhett nodded and printed out the sheet for Link after locating it in his computer. 

“Here you are. Now, this kid is conked out and I could sit here all night, but you probably better get her home for some more quality sleep.”

Now that he was looking at him, Rhett noticed that Link seemed to be even more tired than he had been this morning, and he wasn’t sure how that was possible. The man had already looked worn down to the bone when he dropped his daughter off. 

“You too, Charles.” Hopefully that was subtle enough. He didn’t want to have to tell the guy he looked like crap on the day he met him. 

* * *

 

**Monday, October 23rd, 2017 at 8:15 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett was relying on muscle memory to get to his destination. His mind was elsewhere as he drove through Los Angeles along with many other cars in the dark of the night, the only thing illuminating the roads the headlights of other cars and the lights of buildings that surrounded them. 

When he got there, he stepped out of his car and walked inside, bypassing all distractions as he made his way to his final location. He didn’t need to find out where that was. He’d known for a long time. 

White, sterile walls turned into lively, colorful ones as he stepped out of the elevator and down the hall, past the stations, desks, people,  _ nonsense _ , and to her room. 

He stayed at the door for a minute before going in, taking a deep breath to calm and center himself. It never got easier to come here, to be in that sort of presence. 

But then he walked in, and he felt a bit better regardless of the fact that his heart was crushed all over again. 

“Sorry I’m late, Savvy. I got caught up at work today, and I know it’s past our time, but I hope you can forgive me. I’m here now.” He was here, now, and the rest of it all could melt away. 

As he stepped inside the room, before sitting down, he took a moment to take her in. Her long blonde hair that was down to her waist, now, and her grey-green eyes were closed peacefully. Her Hello Kitty pajamas that just barely peeked out from beneath her Blue’s Clues blanket. Her undeniable beauty. 

The tubes in her nose that helped oxygenate her despite the fact that she could breathe on her own and the wires that kept her fed and hydrated. The machines that she was connected to, beeping to show that they were keeping her alive. Just barely, anyway. The awfulness of it all. 

His poor, sweet girl. 

His voice cracked as he spoke, thinking back to how hard it was to take a look at his new student’s face this morning. “You know, Daddy met a little girl today that reminded him a lot of you…”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, and chibitabathasloves!
> 
> Also: just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your support on the fic so far! We love reading your comments and appreciate everything! ♥ Hope you enjoy!

**Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 5:05 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

_Link dropped his bags at the front door, with Ryleigh following behind him bawling her eyes out. She couldn’t believe that her father was making her come home after all they’d gone through to get to Los Angeles, after all the friends she had made and all the time she’d spent settling in to her new school._

_Link ignored her though, seemingly concerned with something else as he made his way through the house and up the stairs. “Caroline?” he asked, making his way to their shared bedroom. The house was eerily quiet; he had expected her to be moving about the house doing_ **_something_ ** _, anything._

_“Caroline,” he repeated, louder this time, when he didn’t see her in the bedroom. Maybe she was still at work, running late due to closing a deal? Of course, if she had known that they were coming, she surely would have taken the day off to wait for them, but he wanted it to be a surprise._

_When he didn’t see her in the bedroom, he made his rounds around the house and checked everywhere, room by room, until he finally reached the bathroom. There, he saw something that made his stomach churn. God, he hoped that Ryleigh didn’t come looking for him and find this, too._

_There she was, laying there in the tub, her lifeless arm littered with cuts and hanging over the edge of the bath. Blood dripped steadily onto a note that laid on the tile floor._

_His legs felt shackled by lead weights, but somehow, he managed to make his way over to the note and pick it up, tears filling his eyes at the sight of her._

_It was hard to make out the words on the page through all the blood, but he managed soon enough._

_“They’re never coming back. What’s the point of living?”_

Link shot up, chills running through his body as sweat somehow dripped off of him at the same time. 

His breathing was heavy and quick, although he got out of bed, padded across the floor to the bathroom, shut the door, and covered his mouth in an attempt to not wake Ryleigh. His chest felt tight, and he quickly realized he’d started to hyperventilate as he began to think about Caroline and what he had seen on the television the day before. What he had heard. How she’d begged for him to come back, how she’d insisted that everything would be okay so long as he returned Ryleigh safely.

He thought about how, if he waited too long, if he didn't return **right this second** , she might do what she had done in the dream. The horrible thought that she had already done so didn't escape him, and the thought wasn't unfounded. With her history, he wouldn't be surprised. 

He tried to reassure himself that that wouldn't happen because Caroline was one of the strongest-willed people he knew. If it hadn't happened already, after all she had been through, it wouldn't now. 

But what if this was just the straw that broke the camel’s back? What if she actually succeeded this time?

He knew, however, that even despite that, he couldn't go back. He couldn't bring _Ryleigh_ back. 

He tried to remind himself that he had done what he had done for the best. That this was something that was supposed to be good for all of them - but sitting on this admittedly filthy tile floor, in this even filthier roach motel, he couldn't help but worry that he had been wrong. 

It was hard to get his breathing under control. Every time he thought he had it, something else, whether it be an image or her voice, popped into his head and he was right back at square one.

Eventually, though, he pulled himself together and off of the floor, deciding that as long as he wasn't going to get back to sleep after four nightmares in one night, he might as well get ready for work.

So, he showered and dressed and styled his hair, ignoring the scruff on his face and deciding not to shave it off. A razor would just cost money, and besides, a beard would be a bonus added to his makeover. He had never grown them back in Buies Creek. When they were at the store last, he had picked up some _Just For Men_ to dye his facial hair with if he’d decided to grow it out - and he was glad he did. It didn’t take long, and, looking at himself in the mirror, it certainly helped with his disguise.

He was up early enough to watch the sun rise, and he continued to sit outside after it had finished to get some fresh air. He needed it after the night he’d had.

He went inside in time to wake Ryleigh, even earlier than he had the day before. He needed to, since he would be taking her to school earlier. He just had to hope he could get her up on time.

* * *

  **Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 7:25 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link and Ryleigh waited outside the yard, an area where the children gathered before school when dropped off early by their parents (or in some cases, nannies) to walk around the track, chat with one another, or simply chill out, for about five minutes after arriving.  

The yard was opened by none other than Mr. Rhett, and Link had to wonder if he was the school’s resident superhero. He was there early, did the after school program, **and** stayed late with kids whose dads had meetings? Who the hell was this guy?

When Rhett spotted Link waiting outside the gate with Ryleigh, he waved and walked over to unlock it. He was shocked, however, at how Link could manage to look _worse_ than he had the day before. Bags under his reddened, puffy eyes, shoulders slumped… he knew the guy must've been going through a lot. 

“Morning, Charles,” Rhett greeted with a sympathetic smile, although Link would call it pity. He knew he looked like a zombie.

Link yawned. “Good morning, Mr. Rhett.”

“Good morning, Ryleigh,” Rhett said, and tried his best not to grimace. God, she really did look just like his girl - but, she still deserved a smile just like the rest of his students. 

“Good morning, Mr. Rhett!” Ryleigh greeted enthusiastically with a smile as bright as the sun. She had grown to quite like her new teacher, which she had told her daddy all about on the way over. He wasn't scary like she thought he was at the beginning. He was a friendly giant, like in fairytales! “I had candy for breakfast!”

Rhett raised an eyebrow at Link, and the father was quick to explain. 

“She was tough to get out of bed this morning and we didn’t have time for a sit-down breakfast, so I gave her a couple Reese’s cups. I know. Worst dad ever.”

“Hey, I’m not shaming you. I’ll give her some real breakfast when the cart comes around to the class. As for you, you look beat.” He wouldn’t say anything about it on the first day he knew Link, but that wasn’t to say that the _second_ day was off limits. “Would you like some coffee to wake you up a bit, Charles?”

Coffee would be absolutely amazing. It would be like getting a taste of Heaven at this point. The coffee at the grocery store cost twelve dollars, and he couldn’t spare that as a regular purchase, so rather than get accustomed to it, he decided to forego it all together. But if he was being offered coffee for **free** , like he was at work (admittedly it sucked, but it was better than nothing), then he would take it. 

Link nodded and said, “Coffee would be great, thank you.”

“Okay, go to the cafeteria and talk to Josh who’s working at the coffee cart right now. Tell him I sent you and he’ll take care of you.”

Link nodded and thanked Rhett profusely. Then, he turned to Ryleigh and asked, “Hey, sunshine. Mind if I pick you up and give you a hug?”

Caroline had always taught Ryleigh that it was her body and she was entitled to people asking for consent before touching her. Link thought it was a good rule to follow, so he had decided to keep it. 

“Yeah, Daddy!” she exclaimed and held her arms out. She loved Link’s hugs. 

Bending down to sweep her off of her feet, Link had to hold back a groan of pain. He couldn’t show Rhett that he was injured. Thank God for the concealer on his face that covered his visible, but fading bruises. 

Ryleigh squeezed Link’s neck, but she tried to be careful, knowing that he was probably still hurt. Mommy had gotten him good the night before they left. 

“Have a good day at work, Daddy!” Ryleigh smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“And you have a good day at school, okay? Behave yourself for Mr. Rhett.”

Placing her back down on the ground, Link took her backpack off of his back and handed it over to her. “Here you are, kiddo. I’ll see you after work.” And with that, he walked away toward the building for his coffee.

* * *

 

The cafeteria was surprisingly small compared to the rest of the school, and Link assumed that it was because the entire school didn’t eat at once. He found the coffee cart easily, and behind it, a muscular man in a band tee shirt with short blond hair and a tattoo of a spork on his forearm. 

“You must be Josh,” he yawned loudly, covering his mouth once he noticed it. “Mr. Rhett told me to come here and you’d take care of me?” Even his tired brain knew how dirty that sounded, but he chose to ignore it, and thankfully, Josh did too. They were Rhett’s words, after all.  

“You’ve got it, bro,” Josh said, and, taking one look at Link, he decided to break out a Big Gulp sized coffee cup and fill it to the brim, leaving no room for cream or sugar. A man that tired needed it black. He was sure of it. “Here you are. On the house.” Josh, as well as everybody else at the school, knew that ‘take care of him’ was code for ‘give it to him for free. He needs it. I’ll cover the cost.’

Taking hold of the cup with two hands, Link must have drank half of it right there on the spot. “Thanks so much.”

“Don’t mention it, dude.”

* * *

  **Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 10:20 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Ryleigh and Hannah were playing under the shade of a tree when it happened. When he approached them, playing with their Barbies and stuffed animals, and did the unthinkable. 

He was a third grader, much bigger than the two of them, even combined, with sandy hair and hazel eyes. He was fair skinned, wearing a simple tee shirt and blue jeans along with high top sneakers. Him, the reason that Principal Jason had to rethink allowing the entire student body on the playground at once. 

“I think that’s _mine_ now,” he said and leaned down, snatching Raffy the Giraffe right out of Ryleigh Rae Neal’s tiny little hands, and _boy_ was she unhappy as he held the toy high above her head, far out of her reach.

Shooting up out of her spot on the ground, her face redder than it had ever been and her eyes just as demonic, Ryleigh reeled back and then swung, punching the kid in the stomach as hard as she could possibly manage.

He doubled over and even still, she punched him over and over again until he dropped her toy on the ground. “That’s _mine,_ motherfucker! _”_ **Nobody** touched her Raffy without permission, nevermind _took_ him from her. 

Once she got her toy back, she grabbed him off of the ground, dusted him off, and huffed as she stood over the boy in triumph. But then, he _bit her damn_ **_leg_ ** _from the ground_ in retaliation. 

“Uh… Rhett?” Morgan asked, his eyes wide in panic. “Are those _our_ students kicking each others asses over there?”

“What?” Rhett asked, looking up from his book. He’d been reading it since the first day of school, now. He didn’t have much free time. 

When Morgan repeated himself and pointed in the direction that the fight was happening, Rhett’s jaw dropped in shock and so did his book as his hands went slack and allowed it to fall to the ground. “Holy crap…”

“What are you waiting for?!” Morgan asked as he hauled Rhett up by the arm. “We’ve got to get over there!”

And with that, they took off running in the direction of their students. Naturally, due to his longer legs, Rhett arrived at the scene first, and he pulled Ryleigh away. But he couldn’t stop how Morgan’s little brat of a student kept at her until the other man arrived, too. 

“Woah, woah, **woah**!” Morgan shouted, although he practically never raised his voice. He was one of the softest spoken teachers at the entire damn school. “What’s going on here?!”

“That boy took my fuckin’ giraffe, sir!” Ryleigh whined, clutching her stuffed animal tight to her chest as her new best friend looked on from the ground in abject horror. 

Now it was Morgan’s jaw’s turn to drop as he looked at Rhett and silently asked, “is this kid for real?” Rhett looked just as surprised. 

“Ryleigh!” he scolded softly as the pair of them held the children apart. “That is not the kind of language we use, especially at an adult.”

“I think they need to go down to Jason, Rhett,” Morgan said, knowing that Rhett wouldn’t be one to send his student down to the principal’s office without a push. He liked to handle things in house whenever possible. 

“You think?” Rhett asked, and for once, he was sorry to say that he agreed. Gut punching and biting was certainly not acceptable, especially over a stuffed giraffe. “Okay, but you’ll have to take them. I’ll have Colin bring your kids in, but I need to stay with mine. And Morgan? Tell Jason not to call her dad. He already has enough on his plate.”

“Got it,” Morgan said, and then Ryleigh piped up. 

“Can I get back to my recess now, Mr. Rhett?”

Rhett sighed and got down on the ground, still holding onto her so that she wouldn’t charge again. “No, Ryleigh,” he said and sighed. “You’ve got to go to Mr. Jason’s office.”

When she looked up at him with those big, pleading blue eyes and asked, “Am I in trouble, Mr. Rhett?” Rhett felt as if **he** had been gut punched. Looking up at Morgan pathetically, he needed help, which Morgan gave to him in the form of an encouraging nod.  

“That’s for Mr. Jason to decide,” Rhett answered, trying to look past her eyes instead of into them. Those things would be the death of him if he didn’t. 

“This is so stupid!” she pouted, but when she was instructed to take Morgan’s hand and walk to the office with him, she surprisingly listened. 

Ryleigh cursed the entire way to the office despite repeated scoldings from Morgan. She was just too angry to care. Her **eye** hurt and so did her head and leg. How dare that kid not only hit her back, but bite her and pull her hair, too? This was **bullshit** ! _She_ was getting sent to Mr. Jason’s office when he had started, and ended, it?! Of course, she had no problem with letting him as well as Morgan know that all the way to the office by way of yelling. Jason, naturally, heard them from all the way down the hall. 

Coming out of his office to see what all the commotion was, he shot Morgan a confused look and had to refrain from asking, “What the actual fuck?”

“They got into a fight on the playground. Rhett requests that you please don’t call this one’s dad,” he said, gesturing to Ryleigh with his eyes since neither of his hands were free. “I assume he wants to either handle it himself or cut the guy a break.”

At the sight of Ryleigh Neal, in front of his office, on her second day of school, Jason facepalmed. He knew he might regret this. “Whatever,” he sighed. “Thanks, Morgan. Mind taking her down to the nurse? She’s gonna need some ice, I can see a black eye forming. I’ll call for her when I’m ready. Leave Mr. Lowes here with me.”

* * *

 

Ryleigh sat in the nurse’s office for what felt like hours while she waited to be called back to Jason. The ice over her eye had initially been freezing, but it melted quickly with the heat of her still beet red face. 

The nurse walked her down to Jason’s office when it was time, knowing that she could easily get lost as she didn’t know the layout of the school yet, and it was hardly a good thing to have a five year old wandering around unaccompanied and lost to boot.

“Ryleigh,” Jason sighed, folding his hands on his desk as he looked at the pink-haired little girl. “What was that all about? Why did you have to hit Franklin?” She had seemed like such a sweet girl in the time that he had known her, so it came as a shock that she’d gotten into such a bad fight so quickly.

Ryleigh had calmed down significantly in her time in the nurse’s office, but now, as the incident was raised again, so did her temper and the volume of her voice. 

‘He stole Raffy from me, Mr. Jason! My Daddy got me Raffy, he’s my favorite stuffie!” 

When Ryleigh was born, Link had gone down to the gift shop only to find that they were out of your traditional teddy bear, so instead, he picked her out a giraffe (and Caroline a diamond ring from the jewelry store down the street; that had been a bust). She had loved Raffy from day one, and still to this day. She wouldn’t let anyone touch him without getting permission first, but even when asked politely, the answer was usually no, you couldn’t touch Raffy. Raffy was **hers** , and getting him stolen was a **big** deal.

“Okay. Franklin shouldn’t have taken Raffy from you, Ryleigh, but that doesn’t mean that you have the right to hit him. Why didn’t you come to an adult instead of punching him?”

“Because I was scared he was going to ruin Raffy!”

That was entirely fair. This particular child had had a longstanding reputation for not treating other children’s playthings with respect, even if Ryleigh didn’t know that for herself. 

“That makes sense, honey, but it doesn’t mean that you can hit him. Next time, you need to let an adult handle it. That’s why they sit on the playground with you guys; to handle trouble.”

“Okay,” she grumbled. “I’ll try, Mr. Jason. I’m sorry.” Ryleigh _knew_ hitting and yelling wasn’t okay. Her daddy had told her that plenty of times. But when she was angry, it was just _so hard_ not to.

“Thank you, Ryleigh. Now, remember what we talked about, okay? Promise?”

Ryleigh nodded and stood up out of her chair, leaning over Jason’s desk to hold out her pinky. “Promise, Mr. Jason.”

Jason couldn’t help but smile at the gesture, and he locked pinkies with the student before shaking them together. She was charming, he’d give her that. “Now, let’s get you back to class.”

* * *

 

Sitting side by side at their table in the center of the classroom, Hannah and Ryleigh were coloring matching pictures of unicorns. Ryleigh was still feeling upset over the day’s drama, so when Hannah whispered, “I’m sorry that meanie stole your stuffie,” she let her emotions get the best of her. 

Ryleigh may have pinky-promised her new principal that she wouldn’t hit any of her fellow students, but he hadn’t said anything about using bad words. As a consequence, her response was to blurt out, “It was bullshit!”

Rhett was sitting at his desk on the other side of the room, working on creating the lesson plan for the next day while his students decompressed from recess. Despite not paying very close attention to the room’s quiet chatter, his head snapped up at Ryleigh’s words. Taking care to keep his tone gentle, he said, “Hey, Ryleigh? Can you come over here for a minute?” 

Ryleigh sighed, but did as she was told. She knew what Rhett was going to say. Embarrassed, she kept her head down as she walked, and didn’t raise it when she stopped next to Rhett. She knew she wasn’t supposed to use language like that. Mr. Rhett had told her not to on the playground, and her daddy told her not to plenty of times before. But when she was upset, she _just. couldn’t. help. it._

Lowering his voice so that only Ryleigh could hear him, Rhett asked, “Ryleigh, didn’t I tell you that using that kind of language isn’t okay?”

Ryleigh nodded and mumbled, “I know. I’m sorry, Mr. Rhett. I didn’t mean to!” She hated disappointing her new teacher, just like she hated disappointing her dad. 

Seeing Ryleigh look so upset made Rhett’s heart hurt. She just looked so much like—no. He couldn’t think about Sav. Not while he still had half a day left of teaching to do. “You didn’t mean to? Why do you keep using bad words if you know you shouldn't?” he asked calmly, genuinely trying to understand what was going on in the girl’s head.

Ryleigh scrunched up her face as she tried to understand, but shrugged, finally looking up at her teacher. “Those are the words Mommy uses when she’s angry, and I was angry! Those are angry words!”

Hearing the word “Mommy” used in the present tense gave Rhett pause. He hadn’t known that Ryleigh’s father was married. It was a crying shame, too, because he was a pretty cute guy. But Rhett couldn’t help but remind himself that it wasn’t proper to date a parent of a student. The fact that the thought had even crossed his mind just now came as a shock to the man. He’d never considered it an option at all.

That was the first Rhett had heard anything regarding Ryleigh’s mother. And Ryleigh wasn’t wrong in what she was saying, but it still took the man off guard. “They’re adult words, Ryleigh. Okay? They’re not for kiddos like yourself to be using. There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling angry, but try your best to use appropriate words. Please?”

Ryleigh gulped and nodded her head vigorously. “I know, Mr. Rhett. My Daddy says that, too. I’ll try harder! I even pinky promised Mr. Jason!”

Rhett couldn’t help but smile at the determination to do better that was evident on her face. “Thanks, kiddo. I’m sorry about what happened to…” What was the giraffe’s name again? Oh, right. “Raffy earlier. I know why that made you mad.”

Ryleigh’s face lit up at her teacher’s clear understanding. “Yeah!” she enthused. “That boy was mean!”

Rhett chuckled softly and patted her on the back. “Why don’t you go back to your coloring now?”

Ryleigh, beginning to feel better, skipped away from Rhett’s desk and back to her unicorn drawing. Rhett couldn’t help but watch the girl with a sad smile on his face. He felt the familiar tightness in his chest that he only felt when thinking about her… about _them_. He spun around in his chair so that he was facing in a direction that hid his face from his students. He could feel tears coming on, and the last thing he needed was his kiddos seeing him upset. 

Rhett tried and tried to keep his emotions in check, but every time he looked up and saw Ryleigh, all he could really _see_ was his Savannah. He could feel himself losing control, and fast. Anxiously tapping his pen on his desk, he glanced around the room, trying desperately to think of a plan. Glancing at the clock, he noticed the pre-k kids had gone home already. Stevie was free. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed her number, praying that she was still in her room. 

“Stevie, it’s Rhett.” His voice was already starting to tremble, and he was certain she’d noticed. “I need you to come watch my class for a little while, if that’s possible…”

“Is everything okay?” she asked, obviously worried.

“Yeah, I just need to go talk to Jason. They’re just coloring,” Rhett replied, clearing his throat to try to sound more confident. 

Stevie was quiet for a moment before agreeing. “I’ll be there in just a second.”

Thanking her, Rhett hung up the phone. The minute she showed up, he darted out of the room. He didn’t trust himself to tell the class that he’d be back without giving away his emotional state. He practically ran to the principal’s office, praying that Jason wasn’t busy. Luckily, when he nearly burst down the door (after knocking, of course), the man seemed like he wasn’t in the middle of anything important. 

“Rhett? What are you doing here?” the man asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Jason, I can’t… I…” Truth be told, Rhett wasn’t even sure what he wanted to tell Jason. It just came out without a second thought. “I can’t have Ryleigh Neal in my class. I can’t.”

Rhett’s confession shocked Jason. Rhett notoriously never gave up on a kid, ever. Rhett was the kind of teacher to pour every possible moment of his day into making sure his students’ lives were the best he could make them, to shape them into bright, confident, responsible humans, no matter how difficult a task it might prove to be. In all the many years he’d known him, he never once said he couldn’t handle a student. 

“Is this because of what happened at lunch? You can handle some fighting, Rhett! You’re… you!” Jason replied.

Now that he was away from his students and with somebody he trusted, he broke down. The teacher practically collapsed in one of the chairs at the principal’s desk and burst into tears. He used to cry all the damn time, after the accident. But lately, it wasn’t all that common. Especially not at school. The sudden tears told Jason everything that Rhett couldn’t. “It’s… It’s just that Ryleigh—”

Jason finished Rhett’s sentence for him. “Looks like Savannah,” he said with a sigh. “Of course.” He passed his friend a box of tissues and didn’t say another word. He knew that Rhett wasn’t looking for advice, he just needed to let out his emotions. And his office was the best place for that. He simply sat with the man in a heavy silence, the larger of the two sobbing in grief that he would probably never fully recover from.

After nearly ten minutes, Rhett tried to catch his breath and apologized. “Sorry, I should get out of here. You’ve—”

Interrupting again, Jason assured him, “I’m not busy. Don’t worry about it.”

Heaving a deep sigh, Rhett nodded. “It’s just… Every time I look at her, I see Sav.” 

“I know. I’m sorry. I should’ve known better.” Jason saw it, too. He understood.

“It’s not your fault,” Rhett muttered.

After a few moments of silence, Jason asked, “Do you want me to move her to Daniela’s class? She’d understand.”

Rhett wanted nothing more than to not have to look at Ryleigh—Savannah’s—face every minute of the school day, but he couldn’t tell Jason to switch her out of his class. He couldn’t give up on a student. He never had, and he wasn’t going to start now, no matter how hard it would be on him. He shook his head. “No. No. It’s… I’ll…” He was quiet for a while before finally getting his thoughts straight. “I’ll make it work.”

There was another silence between the two friends before Jason laughed softly. “Ryleigh’s an interesting one, though, isn’t she? A firecracker.” 

Rhett chuckled with a sniffle, wiping his nose with a tissue. “No kidding. I had to reprimand her for her language twice today.”

“What’d she say?” Jason asked, intrigued. It wasn’t every day a kindergartener was in trouble for using foul language. 

“A couple of ‘fucks’ and a ‘bullshit,’” the teacher explained. He couldn’t help but laugh at how unbelievable the situation was. Such a sweet girl was not the student he’d expect that to come from. 

“Wow, that’s… I thought you were going to say she called something stupid or something. That’s about all I heard earlier.”

“Yeah, she’s a little more advanced than the rest of my kids.” Rhett paused before adding, “She said she learned it from her mom when her mom is angry… It kinda makes me wonder what’s going on in their household…” He was starting to contemplate whether or not he should bring up the events of the day, and the events of the past, up to Link.

Jason’s small smile faded at Rhett’s comment and he nodded slowly in agreement. “Why did you ask me not to call her dad?” He didn’t even bother to mention that Ryleigh’s mother wasn’t listed as an emergency contact anywhere.

Rhett sighed again. “You know what a mess I was when… Yeah. He’s just looked… He’s going through something. No idea what, but I didn’t want him to have to get a call from the principal on the second day of school.”

“That bad, huh?” Jason asked, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah. I’ve already got a rapport with the guy. I don’t know. I might have to bring it up when I see him…” Rhett tended to worry about his students if there was any tiny sign that he needed to. Most of the time it was nothing, but he couldn’t help it. He loved each and every one of his students like they were his own kids. It wasn’t every day that he felt the need to worry about their parents, too, though. Whatever it was, he was sure he’d figure it out eventually.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi. Y'all are amazing!

**Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 6:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link had been fighting to stay at work all day long. It seemed like just when he thought he couldn’t get any more exhausted, it just kept getting worse. But he couldn’t sleep. He needed to work, and then he needed to pick Ryleigh up from school. He couldn’t force Mr. Rhett to stay late with her again. It felt like time was moving in slow motion; one minute felt like it lasted ten. Thankfully the after school program was just about over, and Ry would be out any minute. All Link needed to do was get the two of them home, feed Ryleigh, and then he could crash on that horribly uncomfortable bed. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have another nightmare. 

As kids filed out of the room to meet their parents, Link kept his eyes peeled for Ryleigh. But before he could spot her, Mr. Rhett exited instead. He stood in the doorway, looked around, and as soon as he caught his eye, waved him over. Worried thoughts started running through his head. Where was Ryleigh? What was wrong? But as he got closer, Rhett’s face softened slightly.

“Ryleigh’s just packing up her bag. She’s taking a little longer than the others,” Rhett said with a smile that Link could only describe as one of pity - but he wasn’t sure why that’d be the case. Well, he must look like death. Maybe that was why.

That was, in fact, exactly what it was. Rhett was planning to tell Link about the fight that Ryleigh had gotten into, and about the issue with Ryleigh’s cussing. However, the minute he caught sight of the girl’s father, he knew he couldn’t. The guy looked like he hadn’t slept a wink in days. He’d looked like a zombie that morning, but somehow, it was only worse this evening. Whatever Link was dealing with, it was a lot, and Rhett couldn’t bring himself to add to his troubles. 

On top of the clear lack of sleep and stress, Rhett noticed something he hadn’t that morning: the remnants of a healing black eye and some scratches and additional bruising on his neck. He wasn’t sure how he’d missed it earlier. Perhaps he’d covered it with makeup? It made Rhett’s stomach churn. He could only hope it was from an accident. Ryleigh _had_ mentioned in passing that her father was clumsy… 

Before Link could reply, Ryleigh appeared behind her teacher, Raffy hugged tightly in her arms. “Hi, Daddy!” she beamed. 

Link shot his daughter the most genuine smile he could muster, despite a great deal of difficulty. “How was your day, sweetheart?” he asked as he led her away, waving goodbye to Mr. Rhett in the process.

Ryleigh scoffed, and Link took that as a bad sign. “A big kid stole Raffy from me and I had to beat him up!” she explained. “Mr. Rhett told me I’m not allowed to use naughty words like Mommy. I tried not to, Daddy! I promise! But I was _so_ mad!”

Link stopped walking for a moment and looked down at his daughter with an expression that said “Are you serious?” 

He was too tired to scold the girl, or do any parenting at all, really. He heaved a deep sigh and nodded before continuing the pace he had set prior. “Baby, you can’t be doing that at school,” he muttered. _Or at all_ , was what he wanted to say, but he wanted to stick with the most important issue at hand. And that was the fact that she was causing disruptions on the playground. “Disruptions” was the understatement of the century. Link knew she was just modeling what she’d heard at home, but that didn’t mean he felt like any less of a failure. He should have spent more time getting her to realize that hitting and saying bad words was never okay. The issue was worse than he’d thought, apparently. But he was far too exhausted to do anything about it at that moment, so he just kept walking, satisfied by Ryleigh’s simple, “I know…” 

* * *

  **Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 6:30 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

 

Caroline sat on the couch, clutching a throw pillow to her chest as tears streamed down her face. It seemed as if she hadn’t stopped crying since the day Hunter and Ryleigh had gone away. She couldn’t even hold it together for twenty minutes in the grocery store. 

She’d needed to get food to cook for dinner because Sue and Leroy were due in an hour, and she’d cried in the car the entire way over, dangerously clouding her vision with tears. Despite the fact that she’d dried her eyes before stepping inside the grocery store, she’d still broken down in frozen foods and had what felt like everybody staring at her in pity. But still, nobody asked if she was okay. They all knew she wasn’t. They’d seen her family on the eleven o’clock news and they’d witnessed her press conference. She was a broken woman and the entire town of Buies Creek was well aware. 

Her fridge and freezer had been empty before she went to shop. She’d scavenged through all the food that was microwavable or didn’t need preparation and left only carcasses in her wake. Then, she had turned to ordering takeout. She’d eaten fast food or pizza or Chinese or **anything** that could be delivered with or without Ubereats for the past who knew how many meals straight. 

Caroline had to force herself to toughen up, get off the couch, and make her way to the kitchen, because, sobbing or not, she needed to cook for her guests. If they had tears in their food, so be it. She had emotions and needed to get them out, and dammit if she couldn’t do it in her own home of all places. 

But the cooking process was slow going, especially because she only cried more when she chopped onions, and by the time she was halfway done, her guests had already arrived. 

She let them in and then excused herself to return to the kitchen, but Sue followed her the entire way and, when Caroline picked up a knife to continue her prep of a side dish, Sue reached out to gently remove it from her grasp. Caroline was not a woman who should be trusted with large cutlery at the moment. 

“Allow me, sugar,” Sue said comfortingly and continued the chopping for Caroline despite the redhead’s protests. 

“Sue, I’ve got it,” Caroline sniffled, but it was clear that in reality the contrary was true. “I’m hosting dinner tonight, let me cook it, please.”

“No, darlin’,” Sue said again and held her ground, essentially body blocking Caroline so she couldn’t get to the knife. “You go relax. Lie down for a quick second. I’ll come get you when everything’s ready.” Then, when Caroline looked apprehensive and tried to protest. “Go on now. It’s okay.”

Caroline appeared skeptical, but went to the living room to lie down regardless. Luckily, Leroy was on a chair and not on the couch where she wanted to be. Even more luckily, he didn’t say a single word to her while she was laying there. 

Caroline, frankly, was tired of Leroy’s mouth. She knew he loved his son and was just trying to look out for him, but it was her and Hunter’s relationship at hand. Leroy Lockwood had nothing to do with it and that was the simple fact of the matter. It just made her feel worse than she already did when he treated her like a second-class citizen because he didn’t like the way she treated his son sometimes. She was only grateful for the lack of infighting when he realized that they were really, truly gone and not returning. She could only wonder if he actually felt bad for her. 

Dinner didn’t take long to finish as Caroline had already done most of the prep and parts of it were already in the oven by the time Sue had swooped in. 

Caroline was practically a zombie as she made her way to the dining room table, her arms wrapped around her torso as if she was protecting herself from harm, or, more probably, trying to keep herself upright and from falling into a sleep so deep it could be considered a coma. She had barely slept since they left. 

“Thank you for finishing up, Sue,” Caroline yawned, having just opened her eyes a few moments prior. “I really appreciate it.”

“No problem, darlin’,” Sue said, giving Caroline the most genuine smile she had since the day they met. “It was easy. You laid all the groundwork.”

“Well, regardless, thank you.”

* * *

 

Once at the dinner table, Sue, Leroy, and Caroline sat in an uncomfortably long silence that had at least two of them squirming in their seats. Sue and Leroy had come to this dinner to discuss the case of their missing son and granddaughter, but it wasn’t a topic that any of them were particularly happy to broach. It was an unfortunate and painful subject, plain and simple, and if avoiding it brought them any benefit, they’d do it, but it didn’t so they had to talk it through. It was the only way to bring the people that they loved home: working together. 

Leroy was the one to break the silence, as per usual. He couldn’t stand how heavy and thick it was. It felt like it would soon be an insurmountable barrier if he didn’t say something and quick. “So, where do y’all think they are right now?” he asked as he stuffed a forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth. 

Also as per usual, his wife gave him a side-eye for his bluntness in bringing up the topic so abruptly and with a lack of grace, but she knew he was right to do so. It was the only way he could, the only way any of them could. Otherwise, the entire dinner would occur in silence or with small talk that was as uncomfortable as the silence was. 

“I’m hoping somewhere safe,” Caroline responded quietly. “I know Hunter is a good dad and he has the ability to take care of her well, but I pray that God doesn’t make this any harder on him than it has to be.” 

“That’s certainly changing your tune,” Leroy noted, and Sue almost reached over to whap him on the back of the head, but once again, she knew he was right. “Just a couple days ago you were all up in arms about him leaving.”

“Because he **took** my daughter away from me!” Caroline exclaimed and frowned deeply. She knew the dinner was going downhill when she was already yelling. “But that doesn’t mean he’s not a good dad. Our relationship is… complicated.”

“I’ll say,” Leroy scoffed, shaking his head in disapproval. Not only was Hunter a good father, but he was a good _partner_ to her (Leroy was of the opinion that it was juvenile to refer to his son as Caroline’s boyfriend at this point; why weren’t those kids married yet? Though, he supposed, it was a good thing that their union was ungodly). He did all he could for Caroline and she squandered it by being the Devil in red lipstick. How could she treat his boy like she had all those years? And even then, he was sure he only knew a fraction of what went on.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Leroy?” Caroline asked, and truthfully, she was ready to rip his throat out using only her teeth, but in the spirit of good table manners, she refrained. 

“Nothing,” Leroy said and sighed airily, dismissing the fact that he had said anything in the first place. 

Sue tried her best to stop Caroline from responding by shooting her husband a death glare and resting a reassuring hand on her pseudo daughter-in-law’s arm, and she thanked her lucky stars that it worked, even if she knew it was just because Caroline was too worn out to open up the can of worms that Leroy’s statement warranted. 

“It’s certainly odd having the police in and out of here, huh?” Sue asked gently, deciding that it would be awkward to change the subject completely and that this was the safest bet when it came to choosing a similar subtopic. “I’ve never had to deal with so many officers in my life.”

“Yeah, Sue,” Caroline agreed, relaxing in her seat. Even she knew it was a miracle that Sue was successful in keeping her from losing her head entirely. It was typical of her to get angry and not stop until she achieved Lord knew what. “I’m getting tired of the color blue, and gosh, the _questions_. They’re so intrusive. I can only hope that, at the very least, it helps them find Hunter and Ryleigh.”

But that wasn’t true. It was just that Caroline had to say that. It wasn’t that she didn’t want her family back, because she did. To say that she didn’t would be the furthest from the truth the person implying it could get. But she knew that it was a selfish want. They were better off, safer off, without her and without her knowing where to find them. It was only that she had to keep up appearances, and saying that she hoped they’d come back was something that needed to be done. 

“I don’t know, Caroline,” Leroy began, and the women at the table both had to restrain themselves from rolling their eyes. They knew something unpleasant was going to be coming out of his big mouth any second now. “Maybe it’s better for them to be gone.”

Caroline had to agree with him in regards to that point on the inside, but externally, she needed to show outrage. How **dare** Leroy say that it was _okay_ , that it was **better** , for her **baby** , her _only daughter_ , and the love of her life to disappear into the wind without a trace and never be seen or heard from again?

But before it was necessary for her to make a spectacle at the dinner table, her unofficial mother-in-law did it for her by going off the rails like Caroline had never seen her do before. 

“Leroy Lockwood!” she exclaimed, her jaw practically on the floor. “How dare you say that to her?! She is a grieving mother and girlfriend who just lost her entire family and **those** are your choice words?!” Leroy opened his mouth to speak, to explain his reasoning, but Sue just continued on, growing louder with each additional word. “And besides that! This is your son and grandchild you’re talking about! How dare you?!” 

“Sue, I—” Leroy started to defend himself. He wanted to say that Caroline had clearly been torturing the poor boy. Hadn’t she seen it for herself? He’d been wasting away, for Christ’s sake! But before he could say anything more, Sue interrupted yet again. He’d really done it this time.

“Leroy, go wait in the car while we finish up here. We’re leaving. I can’t take you anywhere…”

Leroy wasn’t about to argue anymore. Well, at least not in that moment. He was sure he was going to get an earful as soon as the two of them were alone together. So, he stood up from the table, and after taking his plate to the kitchen and clearing it (he wasn’t a monster, after all), he walked out the front door to the car.

“It’s okay, sugar,” Sue said and rubbed Caroline’s arm up and down as tears streamed down her face. “He doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, and you feel free to pay no mind to it. Here, have some nice greens. Filling your stomach will help you feel better.”

Caroline doubted that. She was only hollow emptiness now. But it was, at the very least, worth a try.

* * *

 “Bye, Sue,” Caroline said quietly as she bid her only remaining guest farewell. “See you soon.”

When Caroline closed the door, she immediately made her way back to the couch and collapsed there, too worn out to make it up the stairs and to her and Hunter’s bed. Even if she had the energy, it hurt to sleep when they once slept together and never would again. 

Caroline drifted off after a long while of racing thoughts, flashes of images of her life before her family ran, and pictures of what her life would be like now that they were gone. What would she do without them?

* * *

  **Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 at 7:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

As Link sat and watched Ryleigh eat her dinner, he couldn’t help but think back to what they were missing out on. Frosted Mini-Wheats for dinner was certainly not the healthiest choice, and not the most responsible as a parent on his part. He just couldn’t work up the energy to whip up anything more involved, and he needed to conserve as much food as he could. He didn’t have the money to go grocery shopping too often, so even though it was just cereal, he’d let Ryleigh have the majority of his bowl as well. He could forego food if it meant their small pantry lasting longer. She needed the full stomach more than he did, anyway.

But as he sat there, his mind just kept wandering back to his mother’s home cooking. Her Southern fried chicken. Her roasted green beans. Her barbeque steak. Her homemade rolls. His mouth was watering just thinking about it. Once again, he started to have doubts about his decision to leave. Was he really doing what was best for them, or was this just his delusional fantasy of escaping to a better life that didn’t exist? Skipping meals, not sleeping more than a couple hours a night, and trying to be a parent while having no clue what he was doing didn’t seem like it was much of an improvement. He shook his head. Of course it was. It had to be. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t miss his parents. Miss his town. Miss everything he’d ever known. Link clenched his jaw as he tried not to let his emotions take over. 

Ryleigh looked up, milk dribbling down her chin, and Link reached out to wipe her face clean for her. As soon as he got the spill, Ryleigh asked, mouth full of cereal, “Daddy, what’s the matter? You look sad!”

Link always hated it when Ryleigh could tell he was upset. She was just a kid; she shouldn’t have to concern herself with his problems. So, even though he _was_ sad—really, _really_ sad—he shook his head. “I’m alright, darlin’. Just super duper sleepy, that’s all. What do you say we hit the hay once you’re done with your dinner?” he questioned with a small smile. He wasn’t sure he could stay awake much longer even if he tried.

Shoveling more cereal into her mouth, the girl nodded. She’d had a long day, and certainly wasn’t about to say no to some cuddles.  

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our wonderful betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi! :)

**Friday, October 27th, 2017 at 6:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link was dreading picking Ryleigh up from school Friday evening since he’d received a call from Mr. Rhett the day before. Not because he didn’t want to retrieve Ryleigh and relax with her over the weekend (it felt like ages since he’d been able to spend some quality time with his baby girl), but because before they could have their weekend, he needed to sit through a meeting with her teacher. All Mr. Rhett had told him was that there was an issue regarding her behavior that they needed to discuss, and Link knew it must have been about her language, but then again, she could have gotten into yet another fight. He knew it was a problem, and he didn’t want to have to endure the embarrassment of acknowledging his failure as a father to someone he’d just met. As he walked the halls of the school to Mr. Rhett’s classroom, he could feel his palms going clammy from nerves. But even despite the near panic he was feeling about what he was about to experience, he was still yawning and trying to keep his eyes open. His nightmares just wouldn’t let him catch a break. He wasn’t getting rest, and in fact, he was sleeping much worse than he ever had in North Carolina. It was going to be a struggle not to fall asleep during this meeting, just like it was a struggle to stay awake all throughout his workday. God, he needed the weekend. 

“Hi, Mr. Rhett,” he said as he entered the man’s classroom, trying to stifle a yawn. The lights were low, and Link could already feel himself growing even sleepier, if that was even possible.

“Oh, hi, Charles!” the teacher called, waving him over to his desk in the far corner. “I’ve got a chair for you over here. Ryleigh is in John’s room with her friend Hannah, Drew’s daughter.” When Link looked confused as to just who this guy was, Rhett added, “Oh, he’s one of our fourth grade teachers. I’ll take you over there when we’re done so you don’t get turned around.”

Link thanked him as he carefully made his way past a maze of tiny tables and chairs, trying not to trip before he finally reached the adult-sized furniture. He sat down in the chair that Rhett had offered him. Sitting across from the teacher, he could see concern painted across his face in place of the usual carefree expression. Link tried to hold back a gulp. “So, what’s the problem?” he asked, trying to hold back another yawn, but failing this time. Gosh, it was way too dark in this room… 

“Well, Ryleigh is still having some difficulty using appropriate language in the classroom,” Rhett began, trying to ease the poor father into their discussion. “And as you know, she did get into a fight the other day.”

Link buried his face in his hands and nodded. “I’m so sorry,” he groaned. “She’s not—”

Rhett stopped Link before he could speak. “I’m actually very impressed with her.” 

At the teacher’s words, Link furrowed his brow and looked up. “W...What?” Why would he be impressed if she was cussing and getting into fights?

“She knows it’s not okay, even without me telling her first, and she has expressed to me that she’s trying to make a real effort to stop. That’s not something I’ve seen from kids her age in the past.” 

Link thought that maybe he was doing  _ something _ right, at least. After yawning again, he nodded. “Well, uh… Yeah. She’s a good kid. I’ve been trying to… to get her to stop saying bad words at home, too.” He could feel himself dozing off, but was trying desperately to keep himself awake.

Looking down at his hands, Rhett nervously chewed on his bottom lip, trying to think of how to appropriately bring up his next comment. “Now, you don’t need to tell me this, as it’s none of my business. But, I just needed to ask… Ryleigh said she learned the words from her mother when her mother was angry. And I can tell that something has been weighing on you. I just felt the need to ask if everything was okay in Ryleigh’s home life, and yours, too. I can tell that you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.” There. Hopefully that wouldn’t offend the man. He decided it’d be best to not mention the fact that he’d noticed bruises and scratches the other day, especially considering they now seemed to be healed.

Link’s heart sank, and he could feel his eyes watering. Whether it was from being so exhausted or from the deep emotional wounds, he wasn’t sure. Regardless, it came as no surprise to him that Ryleigh had brought up her mother. Hopefully she didn’t say too much. Eyelids beginning to grow too heavy to keep them open for more than a second at a time, Link sleepily mumbled, “Ry’s… mother is… She’s not around anymore. She’s gone… And I’m not used to...being...” Before he could finish his sentence, Link fell asleep. The poor guy couldn’t help it. He was just _so_ **_tired_**.

When the sentence didn’t continue, Rhett frowned deeply. He wondered if his next word was going to be “alone.” He had told Jason that Link’s demeanor reminded him of what he’d been like after the accident. He leaned back in his chair and sighed, looking over the father sat across from him. Whatever he was dealing with, it was serious, and he needed a break. Glancing at the clock and mulling it over for a moment, he decided to let Link sleep for just a few minutes. He guessed any amount of rest would be helpful. He knew from experience that that particular chair was incredibly easy to fall asleep in if you weren’t getting enough rest at night.

* * *

 

**_Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 1:03 PM; Los Angeles, California_ **

* * *

 

_ Feeling a tiny, gentle finger poking him in his side brought Rhett out of a deep slumber. His face had been buried in his arms on his desk. As he slowly came to, he heard the soft voice of one of his students. “Svegliati, Mr. Rhett! Svegliati!” Dominic was whisper-yelling, clearly concerned. Sweet, sweet Dominic. Rhett didn’t have favorite students, but if he did... _

_ Rhett straightened up and stretched his arms out, yawning. Dominic didn’t speak much English at all, so Rhett had learned Italian to make sure he felt as comfortable in his classroom as possible. He was sure it wasn’t fantastic, especially considering he was half asleep, but in his best Italian, he asked, “Dominic, do you know how to say that in English?” Any moment had the opportunity to be used for learning, as far as he was concerned. _

_ Dominic’s slightly concerned expression immediately turned to one of terror. He shrugged and quickly looked away.  _

_ Rhett reached out and placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder, assuring him, “It’s okay, Dom. I know it’s hard! You don’t need to know that yet!” Switching back to English, he explained, “Svegliati in English is ‘wake up.’ Wanna try?”  _

_ The smallest of smiles creeped up across Dominic’s face. “Wake up, Mr. Rhett!” he said in the thickest accent imaginable.  _

_ “That was so good, Dom! Thank you for waking me up. I’m so sorry I fell asleep again… You don’t need to worry about me. I’m okay.” When Dominic just stared up at his teacher blankly, Rhett apologized and repeated himself in Italian. He sent the student back to his desk to continue working on his art project.  _

_ Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Rhett sighed. Seeing all his students happily working away didn’t bring him the same joy that it once did. Maybe he hadn’t been ready to return to teaching just yet. Jason had warned him— had said he thought he needed more time away. But Rhett couldn’t bear being alone with his thoughts anymore… with his  _ **_guilt_ ** _. He knew it wasn’t rational, not really, but if he’d just stayed at home that day, he really believed they’d still be with him. They’d be okay. Being in that massive house alone, surrounded by silence, it just wasn’t helping him heal.  _

_ But he wasn’t sleeping at night, and even when he could fall asleep, he was just met with nightmares. He felt awful for his new students, knowing he wasn’t giving them his best self, which is what they all deserved. It was just that seeing their little faces running around happy and giggling and  _ **_okay_ ** _ was so incredibly painful when his little Sav was laying in the hospital, anything  _ **_but_ ** _ okay. She was just an empty shell of her former self, tubes and wires all over her, a soft, steady beeping instead of the giggles he was used to hearing while she was around. _

_ When Dominic looked over at him, still clearly concerned, it made his heart ache more than it already did. That poor boy was already dealing with enough stress, hardly being able to communicate with his peers. He shouldn’t be concerned for his teacher as well. He was the adult—the support system. It seemed like Dominic was the only one who had really noticed something was up, though. He guessed that that, at least, was a good thing. He forced a smile and shot Dominic a thumbs up while trying to hold back tears. Was a year and a half really enough time off, after all that had happened? Of course not. He couldn’t get through the day without hiding in the office and crying about how it should have been him instead. About how it was his fault. About everything. He needed his students, though. He needed to feel like he was doing  _ **_something_ ** _ productive. But he knew it also wasn’t fair for them to see him as broken as he still felt. He’d be lying, however, if he said they weren’t helping. _

_ Noticing Dominic coming back over to his desk, he felt bad, thinking for sure he was going to have to tell the boy that he really didn’t need to be worrying about him. However, Dominic had his art project in his hands. He handed it over to his teacher. “For you!” the dark-haired, brown-eyed boy said in his best English.  _

_ It took all of his strength to keep from crying in that moment. Dominic had drawn himself standing next to his towering teacher. They were holding hands and smiling. It looked like the typical picture any kid drew of themselves with their parents, only Mr. Rhett was there in their place. With all the emotions he was feeling already, it nearly sent the man over the edge. “Thank you  _ **_so much_ ** _ , Dominic,” he said in English, bottom lip wobbling and holding the picture close to his heart. “Grazie mille.”  _

* * *

 

**Friday, October 27th, 2017 at 6:09 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett reached across the desk and gently placed his hand on Link’s forearm. “Charles,” he whispered, trying to wake the man without startling him. 

Link inhaled deeply and sighed, slowly opening his eyes and looking around before remembering where he was. He groaned and rubbed his eyelids, mumbling a quick apology.

“No, no. It’s fine. I completely understand,” Rhett assured with a clear look of concern. He wanted to press Link on the details of what he had started to explain before dozing off, but the man looked like he’d been about to start crying, so he didn’t want to push too hard. Instead, he made an offer. “Look, I can tell you need to catch up on sleep. I’ve been there. I babysit for parents on Saturdays if they need to run errands, pop into work, whatever. Sometimes, students just want to stop by to play with their friends. I’m watching Hannah tomorrow, and she and Ryleigh seem to really get along. If you want to drop her off, I’d be happy to watch her so you can catch up on sleep. You can also meet some of the other parents. I can introduce you so you can start to get to know them and make some friends. I… I’m worried about you, Charles,” he admitted.

Link rubbed his developing beard, deep in thought. “I’d… I’d rather not make any friends, to be perfectly honest,” he muttered. The more people he knew, the more chance of getting caught, he figured. “But… I really need some sleep.”

“You really do,” Rhett agreed.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Link asked hesitantly.

“Of course! My house is a zoo every weekend. The more the merrier.” 

Link nodded. “Okay. What time should I bring her by?” 

“Any time that works for you is fine with me, Charles.” Rhett was just happy that he agreed. He knew it wasn’t the typical proposition, but the man needed a break and he was happy to give it to him. 

Maybe it was rude to ask, but Link was so exhausted that he didn’t care. “Is it normal for teachers to be doing all of this? Staying after hours, babysitting on weekends, all of this?” 

Rhett looked down at his hands and smiled a sad smile. “No, no. It’s definitely not the typical schedule for a teacher,” he admitted. “I just like to help.”

Link nodded, accepting the vague answer. After sharing a brief, heavy silence, Rhett explained that that had been all he’d really wanted to discuss, and offered to walk him to John’s room to pick up Ryleigh. Link politely declined, thinking to himself that some fresh air on his own would do him some good. He was pretty sure he knew where to go. Slowly but surely, he was learning the school’s layout. 

Rhett gave him verbal directions just to be safe, and waved goodbye. The minute the father was gone, Rhett went back to his desk and shook his head in disbelief. Whatever Charles was going through, he thought, had to be serious, and if it was even a fraction as bad as what Rhett himself had gone through… All Rhett could think was that he wasn’t envious. It’d taken him long enough to get out of his own dark hole, and he didn’t miss those days one bit. Sometimes he wondered if he really had managed to climb completely out of that pit, to be frank. When Link had questioned his packed schedule, he hadn’t given him the answer he’d wanted to give. He couldn’t. What Rhett had  _ wanted _ to say was that he just wanted to experience as much parenting as he could. He needed to be a dad, and if spending time with his students was his chance to do that, he wanted to maximize his time spent with them. If he could help the parents out along the way as well, then great. Every minute he was able to spend with his students was a blessing. Making his kids’ lives better in whatever way he could was the most important thing, so whether it was during regular school hours or on weekends, it made no difference. A lot of times, he felt like he needed them just as much as they needed him - and that, well… that was okay with Rhett.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our lovely betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi!

**Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 7:07 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Noticing the time on his watch, Rhett’s eyes widened slightly. He had been under the impression that he’d been here a shorter amount of time than this, but then again, he always lost track of time when he came here.

He eyed the fresh flowers on the line of graves that he had laid there just this morning. Roses on one. Yellow sunflowers on another. Tulips, violets, and gardenias on the third. Then, he nodded to himself, deciding that his time spent and the fresh arrangements on the graves were satisfactory. 

“See you guys next week,” he said gently to everybody and nobody at all, flashing the graves a weak smile before standing up and turning around to walk to his car. 

He wasn’t late per se, but he was cutting it a bit close. 

It was Saturday, which meant that he had kids to pick up. It wasn’t every week, but most of them. He’d pick up students and former students so that their parents could have a break, run errands, do whatever they needed to do. 

Most teachers wouldn’t. They’d say that they saw their students enough during the week, and they’d say that they needed a break of their own. Rhett, though, he understood that most of those parents worked all week just as he did and they deserved some time to themselves, too. 

Finally reaching his car at the edge of the property, he got in it, turned his keys in the ignition, and put the thing in drive. Closing his eyes for a  _ second _ , just a second, he tried to rid himself of the bad thoughts that flooded him every week when he got in this car after visiting them. That was years ago. It was over. They were  _ not  _ in pain anymore. Except, of course, his little girl. 

As Rhett drove away and left the cemetery in his rearview mirror, he couldn’t help but think about that fateful day and what would have been different if the circumstances were not those that occurred. 

He shook the thought out of his head rather quickly. He couldn’t dwell on the past anymore. He had to focus on the present, and in the present, he had students to pick up. 

* * *

 

**Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 8:21 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett had offered to swing by and pick Ryleigh up for his own little daycare Saturday morning, but Link declined, insisting that he drop her off himself. While it was true that he’d feel a lot more comfortable seeing Rhett’s home and where Ryleigh would be staying before leaving her there for most of the day, the main reason was that he didn’t want the man to see just how horrible their current living situation was. He couldn’t let Ry’s teacher see the roach-infested parking lot where he was certain drug deals or other illicit motel activities (he didn’t want to dwell on any specifics) were almost always going on. So, Link had loaded Ry onto the city bus, Rhett’s address on a slip of paper in his pocket. 

“Are you excited about getting to play with Hannah today?” Link asked, more in an attempt to try to keep himself awake than anything else. 

Ryleigh nodded vigorously, but added, “Also with Mr. Rhett!” 

Hearing how excited she seemed put him a bit more at ease. He felt incredibly guilty for making her spend time with her teacher on the weekend after he’d promised it’d just be the two of them, and she’d only have to go to school on weekdays. But she didn’t seem to be bothered in the slightest. 

After getting off at the stop that Rhett had instructed him to, Link took Ryleigh by the hand and started the trek to the teacher’s home. His legs were beginning to feel heavy like cement from exhaustion, and he wanted nothing more than to sit or lie down. Repeatedly checking the slip of paper he’d written the directions down on, Link was getting more and more confused. The longer they walked, the bigger and nicer the homes were getting. After he turned onto the final road, he couldn’t believe his eyes. From what he’d heard, there was no way in hell that anyone could afford even so much as a room in one of these mansions, let alone the entire thing, especially on a teacher’s salary. And Rhett wasn’t even a professor! Assuming he’d gotten mixed up, he doubled back to where the street sign had been and compared it to what he had written down. 

“Are we lost, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked softly. 

After looking back and forth between the paper and the sign a couple of times, Link shook his head and started back up the street. “No, baby. We’re in the right spot. Just makin’ absolutely sure.”

Rhett’s home was at the end of the street. There was a gate and a long driveway—so long that Link couldn’t actually see most of the house, just the parts poking up above the trees. He pressed a button on the side of the gate, expecting to be required to explain his presence to a security guard or something, but the gate just swung right open. Link stood in place, completely frozen in confusion, but Ryleigh’s voice snapped him out of it. 

“Is Mr. Rhett rich and fancy?” she asked with excitement.

Link started walking up the long driveway as he answered, “Well, baby, it sure does look like it…”

Once the entirety of the home came into view, Link was absolutely dumbfounded. He’d thought the other properties on the street were mansions, but this home was on another level entirely. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. 

It was a two-story building with multiple balconies that was likely wider than it was long. There was a main landing of what, to Link at least, looked like marble, and then there was another set of steps that led to a gated-off porch area. The construction of the house itself coupled with the greenery surrounding it reminded Link of some postcard you’d find in Italy. How was this the right place? 

Taking a deep breath, he walked up the main steps and he knocked on the large, mahogany front door, making good use of the elegant knocker displayed on there. Finally standing still made all of his exhaustion start to creep back up. His limbs were heavy and he clenched his jaw to try to keep from yawning, not wanting that to be the first thing Rhett (or some butler) saw when he opened the door. 

Just when Link decided he should knock again, the door swung open and Mr. Rhett stood before them, a grin on his face. Link could hear kids running around and giggling somewhere behind him. “Hello, Miss Ryleigh!” he greeted warmly.

“Mr. Rhett, I brought Raffy with me!” she yelled in response, ignoring the man’s greeting and skipping her own. 

“That’s great, sweetie!” Rhett chuckled before he turned his attention to Link. “How are you feeling?” 

Link could see the concern in the man’s eyes, so he replied, “I look that bad?” 

Rhett patted him on the shoulder. “You look like you need some sleep.”

It was then that Hannah ran to the door behind Rhett and squealed happily upon seeing Ryleigh. The pair hugged, and a wave of relief passed over Link. It was good to see that she had Hannah there to play with, and more so that they seemed to be happy to see each other.

“Daddy, can I go play with Hannah?” Ryleigh asked. 

With a soft chuckle and a small groan, he bent down and hugged his little girl—after asking first, of course. “Don’t ask me, ask Mr. Rhett.”

Link straightened up again and wobbled slightly, his legs begging to give out. The thought of walking all the way back to the bus stop was almost too much—the journey back seemed incredibly daunting now that he was standing still and aware of just how exhausted he was. 

Before giving Ryleigh the okay, Rhett brought up his plans for the kids that day. “If I’d had the idea earlier, I would’ve mentioned it yesterday. But I was planning on setting the kids up with a water balloon fight in the backyard, since it’s going to be warm. Most of them came with a change of clothes, but—”

Hannah interrupted. “Ryleigh can borrow my extras, Mr. Rhett! It’s okay, we can be twins!” 

“Are you okay with that, Miss Ryleigh?” Rhett asked with a smile, sure he already knew the answer. 

Sure enough, Ryleigh answered with an enthusiastic, “Yeah!” before asking permission to go play again. When she got the okay, she ran off with Hannah without so much as looking back. She’d already gotten her goodbye hug.

“I watch Hannah a lot, sometimes overnight, so she’s got her own room here with some extra clothes,” Rhett explained. “Ryleigh can borrow some of hers.”

Link stopped himself from asking why that was, reminding himself that it was none of his business. Instead of questioning it, he simply nodded and agreed with the plan. It certainly sounded like Ryleigh was in for a really fun day, and that made him happy. As long as she was having a better time here in California than in North Carolina, it made the horrible exhaustion worth it. 

He looked up to say a reluctant goodbye and noticed that Rhett’s smile had disappeared. The man was frowning, clearly concerned. “Did you walk all the way up here from the bus stop?” he questioned. 

Link nodded and yawned. “Yeah. Time for me to head back I guess.”

Rhett shook his head. “You don’t have to. I’ve got plenty of guestrooms. Take your pick.”

“What?” Link asked, eyebrows raised.

Rhett took a step back further into his home, gesturing for Link to join him. “You look like you’re about ready to drop from exhaustion already. There’s no reason for you to worry about making the journey back, Charles. I mean, obviously you can say no, but there’s a guest bed with your name on it. I’ll make sure none of the kids bother you.”

Link looked back down the driveway, contemplating the length of the trek back and the comfort (or lack thereof) of the bed back at the motel. With another yawn, he reluctantly nodded. “Okay… If you’re sure I won’t—“

“You won’t be a bother, come on in!” Rhett said with a smile, guiding him into the house and leading him down a hallway. “I’ll be right back, kiddos! Try not to break anything!” he called in a teasing tone before shooting a wink to Link. A chorus of laughter and giggles erupted from wherever the kids had run off to. Was he really not concerned about that at all? 

For Christ’s sake, there was so much antique property, paintings that Link wouldn’t be surprised to discover were Da Vinci originals, and expensive furniture that if this was his own house, he would break his neck falling over himself to keep anything from getting ruined or even so much as touched. Yet, here Rhett was letting little ones run rampant? He must be mad!

Link held his breath and kept his hands to himself the entire way down the hall, afraid to so much as blow air on anything Rhett owned. 

He wanted to know where the hell Rhett got the money for all this and just how much he was monetarily worth, but knew even without his mother telling him that it was plain rude to ask somebody, “So just how rich are you, anyway?”

So, instead of questioning the man, he simply kept his mouth shut and allowed himself to be led into a guest room that was probably five times the size of the room in which he and Ryleigh were staying in at the motel. 

Not only was it outfitted with drawers, a closet that was most likely a walk-in, and a California king sized bed, but it was also home to a massive television and a mini fridge. If it weren’t for the fact that he had to relieve himself of bodily waste on occasion, he’d be fine to never leave the room. On the walls, Link noticed frame after frame containing all sorts of drawings clearly done by kids around Ryleigh’s age. 

Rhett noticed Link eyeballing the images and explained. “My students will give me their drawings after class sometimes, and I just have to keep them. Can’t bring myself to toss a single one, if I’m being honest. A lot of the rooms are filled with them.” 

Link couldn’t help but smile at that. There was a big difference between not throwing the drawings away and putting them in fancy frames to hang on the wall. Ryleigh had always been a pretty outgoing, easily impressed kid, so it was no surprise to him that she liked her teacher, but it appeared that all of Mr. Rhett’s students loved him just as much. “That’s really sweet,” Link acknowledged. 

“I hope the room is okay,” Rhett said softly, giving Link a small smile. “The maid hasn’t been here since last week, but I swear it’s turned over. Fresh sheets and pillowcases, just minus the mint.”

‘I hope this is okay?’ The  **maid** ?! Was the man kidding him? “This is more than okay, Rhett. Thank you so much,” he smiled tiredly, hoping that he was hiding his utter disbelief well enough that Rhett didn’t notice it. 

Thankfully, Rhett didn’t notice Link’s incredulity, but he did notice that he looked as if he was going to drop dead on his feet. 

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. There’s an intercom on the wall by the light. Just give me a shout if you need anything.”

And then, just like that, Rhett was gone. 

Link allowed his tired feet to carry him to the bed, and he almost forgot to kick his shoes off before he collapsed on the mattress facefirst. 

He was worried about being able to relax in this near-stranger’s home, especially when his daughter was in this man’s care and not his own. How could he sleep without knowing for absolute certain that she was safe?

But God, the mattress was soft.  _ So  _ soft that it was hardly believable, but what in Rhett’s house wasn’t? And by the looks of the exterior, Link hadn’t even come close to seeing the half of it. The damn thing was like a cloud, and Link didn’t so much as finish having the thought before he was out cold. 

* * *

 

**Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 2:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett had let the kids mess around with board games and watch cartoons in the house all morning as he wanted to make sure it was warm enough before breaking out the water balloons. After making all of the kids sandwiches, which they each special ordered based on their preferences (Ryleigh requested peanut butter—her new favorite thing in the world), he cleaned up and marched the kids to the massive backyard. Ryleigh couldn’t help but yell when she saw the size of the yard, and Rhett was incredibly grateful that no cussing had occurred alongside her exclamation. It was hands down the biggest yard Ryleigh had seen in her life. If Link was there, he would have agreed. The lawn itself was massive, at least as big as the lawn at the city park back home in Buies Creek, but there was also a big swimming pool at the far end. What Ryleigh couldn’t see from their current location was a tennis court and basketball court around the side of the house.

Earlier that day, Rhett had placed a couple of buckets of balloons near the hose on the lawn, which he now needed to fill with water. “I’m gonna need some extra hands to help me out over here, who wants to?” he asked the group of hyper children. He’d given them all a piece of candy with lunch, and pretended not to notice when some of them took extra. Ryleigh and Hannah both raised their hands to offer to help, and Rhett waved them over. 

“Hannah, you’re in charge of turning the water on and off. Ryleigh, you’re gonna hold the hose nice and steady while I fill these balloons up. Can you girls handle that?” he asked.

“I’m the best at it, Mr. Rhett!” Ryleigh exclaimed, and Hannah wholeheartedly agreed. 

“Great! I’m glad I made the right choice!” he chuckled, playing along. “Ry, why don’t you put Raffy down next to me over here so he doesn’t get all wet?” 

If Rhett were being honest, he was shocked that the girl handed over her toy without a second’s hesitation. Every time it had come to school with her, she’d refused to let it out of her grasp. He hoped it was a sign that she was getting more comfortable with not only him, but her classmates as well. 

Using teamwork, they got the balloons filled up in no time. “Alright, kiddos! It’s water balloon fight time!” he announced as Ryleigh and Hannah ran off to rejoin their peers. “Do you want to have teams, or everyone for themselves?” he asked.

One of Ryleigh’s classmates, Jayden, yelled out, “Mr. Rhett, if we do teams, do the winners get a prize?” 

“Of course! Winning team gets popsicles!” he announced.

Ryleigh gasped at the thought of having the opportunity to win something. She wanted a prize! The kids unanimously voted to play in teams, so Rhett divided them in half based on where they were standing and dragged one of the buckets further down the lawn. 

Rhett sat on the sidelines with Raffy, who he assured Ryleigh he’d take extra good care of. There was nothing in the world that Rhett loved more than moments like these. He felt incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to make all of these kids’ lives better in whatever way he could. And from the looks on their faces and the sound of their squeals and giggles, he was doing a damn good job that day. 

Lost in his thoughts, Rhett hadn’t noticed two separate water balloons flying his way. One hit him square in the chest, the other landing on his forehead. He yelled out in shock, and after wiping the water from his eyes, saw Ryleigh and Hannah laughing triumphantly. 

“Hey! I’m just the ref! Foul! Yellow card!” he yelled out, laughing. He wasn’t sure if Ryleigh or Hannah knew what that meant, but they ran off giggling regardless. He didn’t mind the water; he’d dry off soon enough, after all. 

Once all the balloons had been popped, Rhett stood up to assess the damage and pick the winning team. It was clear that Ryeligh’s team was drier than the other team, but if he were being honest, he would’ve said they won regardless. She just looked like she wanted it so damn much, and those probably would’ve been the exact words she’d use herself. “First place goes to… Blue team!” he announced, calling them after the color of their bucket. “Second place goes to… Red team!” 

“Do we get popsicles, since we won?” Ryleigh asked.

“Of course! I promised you, didn’t I?” 

“What about us?” Jayden asked. “We got second place!”

“Second place prize is also popsicles!” Rhett announced.

All the students cheered triumphantly, and Rhett chuckled, shaking his head. It was too easy to excite these kids. He wasn’t sure why they hadn’t caught on yet. He did this every time they did a team activity. Everyone always got the prize, but they always seemed just as excited as if it was exclusive. He didn’t mind. As long as they were happy.

“Let’s go inside and dry off, and then I’ll give you your prizes!” he announced, giving Raffy back to Ryleigh before leading the parade of sopping wet and dripping kindergarteners back into his home.

* * *

 

**Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 6:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett walked through the door, dropped his keys in the bowl on the table in the foyer, and ripped the Post-It note that he had left for Link in case he woke up before Rhett got back off of where it was hanging, crumpling it up in his fist and shoving it into his pocket with an intent to throw it in the trash as soon as he was able. 

He had just finished driving most of his students back home to their parents, and was now only left with Hannah and, of course, Ryleigh.

“Alrighty, kiddos,” Rhett said and clapped his hands together. “You two play nice. I’ll be right back. Gotta go wake Ryleigh’s Daddy up.”

Ryleigh frowned deeply, resisting the urge to spice up her sentence with curse words as she asked, “Awwww, maaaaan. Does that mean I have to go home now, Mr. Rhett?”

Ruffling Ryleigh’s long pink hair, Rhett shrugged. “I dunno, sweetheart.” Honestly, it depended on if Link was in any condition to  _ get  _ Ryleigh home, and with the way he appeared when Rhett last saw him, it wasn’t looking likely. “We’ll see what happens when I wake him up. For now, though, just enjoy your playtime.” 

Once Ryleigh nodded and she and Hannah seemed agreeable to Rhett’s noncommittal plan, Rhett disappeared down the hallway to rouse Link. 

Upon entering the room, Rhett’s face deflated. Link just looked so peaceful sleeping, looked more relaxed than Rhett had ever seen him. The guy always looked so  **worn down** when he was awake that Rhett couldn’t help but feel bad for him, and he couldn’t help but, in this moment, to be reluctant to wake him. 

But he knew he had to so that he could check the progress of his “nap” (which couldn’t be called such; he had been asleep for what must have been nine and a half hours) and whether it had helped him at all. 

“Charles,” Rhett whispered, reaching over to the other side of the bed to gently shake him awake. “Charles.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much to our lovely betas for chapter nineteen, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathaloves, and good-mythical-maddi!

“Hmmph?” Link asked, raising his head and turning it so that he was facing Rhett despite the fact that he couldn’t see him. Of course, Rhett would think that that was because he was no longer wearing his glasses, but Link knew that wasn’t the reason. The frames were fakes (he really shouldn’t sleep with his contact lenses in). It was just because the sleep hadn’t been wiped from his eyes yet. 

Rhett smiled gently though he knew Link wouldn’t catch it. The mess of hair on Link’s head was just so endearing that he couldn’t help it. 

“It’s Rhett.” Link still looked exhausted. He couldn’t make him go home in this state. “I was just wondering if you and Ryleigh would like to stay for dinner. Usually, everybody’s home by this point and I just UberEats something for myself, but if you’d rather I cook because you don’t like Ryleigh to have junk, I understand and don’t have any problem with it.”

Link didn’t have the energy to say no, nor did he have the willpower. He had barely eaten since they arrived in Los Angeles, and the promise of a free meal at somebody else’s house was just too good to pass up. 

Sitting up and putting his glasses on his face, Link blinked the sleep from his eyes and nodded gratefully. “No, junk food is definitely allowed in my family,” he chuckled. “Thank you, Rhett.”

“No problem. Do you have any vote?” 

“Hm?”

“A vote. What do you want for dinner? I know you probably haven’t had much time to explore the area, but there’s plenty of good restaurants around. And if you don’t have a preference for anything too specific, there’s always your basics like McDonalds and Wendy’s and pizza, what have you.”

“Anything the girls want is fine by me.” Link yawned, giving Rhett a sleepy smile. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Anytime. I’ll let you know what we decide on. There’s a bathroom just down the hall if you need it.” Rhett knew that  _ he  _ certainly would after sleeping as long as Link had. 

Link nodded and then watched as Rhett padded out of the room, closing the door behind him so that Link had the option of whether or not to open it again. 

Link did, but only after a moment of groaning to himself in bed about how he’d rather be back asleep. Thankfully, he hadn’t had as many nightmares as he usually did in the motel, and the ones that he did have failed to rouse him, but he was still nevertheless tired after using up all of his sleep reserves with restless nights at The Palace (and some palace it was, pft). So, he figured he couldn’t blame himself for still being tired, but didn’t allow himself to close his eyes again for fear he might drift back off. 

Instead, after a moment of wallowing and self-pity, he dragged himself off what he was pretty damn sure was the most comfortable mattress on earth and made his way out of the bedroom and to the bathroom. 

Once he was done there, he attempted to make his way back to Rhett, to follow the voices and find his daughter, her friend, and their teacher, but there were so many  _ doors  _ and the hallway was so  _ long  _ that he got turned around. 

Luckily, Rhett came looking for him after a few more moments passed and saved him from the nightmare of this maze of a home- oh, excuse him. Barbie Dreamhouse goddamn  _ mansion _ . 

“Lost, are ya?” Rhett chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on his arm, one that was meant to say, “It’s cool, man. I’m here.”

Link tried his best not to flinch away from it, grateful that his long sleeve button-down hid the bruise that was beneath Rhett’s hand. 

“Just got a bit turned around,” Link said, reciprocating Rhett’s laugh. “No big deal.”

“Now that I’ve found you it’s not. You could get lost in this place and never come back out if you don’t know where you’re headed.”

The thought that that was a very serial killer-esque thing to say crossed Link’s mind, but he allowed it to simply pass over him. The man owned an airport sized home, for Christ’s sake. Of course you could get turned around and never be found again. 

“The girls are just in the den,” Rhett explained as they walked in its direction. “We decided on McDonalds for dinner, but Ryleigh’s vote was for something called BoJangles?” Rhett asked inquisitively. “I’m not quite sure what that is. I checked the app and there’s not one around here. Would you happen to know?”

Link shook his head, a small smile forming on his face. Ryleigh was his daughter through and through, no doubt about it. “It’s a restaurant from back home…- Sorry, from where we used to live. We’d go there all the time.”

“I see,” Rhett hummed. “Well, I’m sorry there’s not one around here. Sounds interesting.”

As they entered the den, Link saw that the girls were busy playing with teddy bears, but instead of playing pretend or house with them, they were drawing on them with what appeared to be permanent marker. 

Link’s eyes widened at the sight of it. Rhett turns his back for two seconds and his daughter is destroying his property?!

“Ryleigh Rae!” he gasped, having to stop himself from stomping over so that he could take the marker away. “Put that down right now! What do you think you’re doing drawing on stuffed animals? How would you feel if somebody did that to Raffy?”

Instead of seeming phased by the scolding, Ryleigh simply looked up at Link and smiled. “Daddy! Mr. Rhett said these bears are  _ special  _ and we can draw on them  **all we want** !”

Rhett nodded in corroboration of Ryleigh’s story, his expression reassuring as he explained. “They’re DoodleBears. Marker comes right off in the wash. I told them it was okay.”

Visibly relaxing, Link apologized, "Oh, okay. Sorry I overreacted, baby."

"That's okay, Daddy!" Ryleigh explained, standing up and abandoning her DoodleBear in favor of skipping over to hug her father. "Mornin’ sleepyhead! How did you sleep?!" 

Link smiled at his daughter's forgiving nature and reached down to hug her back, ruffling her hair. 

"Good, thank you. I had a very nice nap. I heard we're getting McDonalds for dinner, hm?"

"Yeah!" Ryleigh exclaimed, beaming up at him. "I'm  **so** excited for chicky nuggets!"

“That’s good,” he smiled and sat down on the floor. The furniture  _ looked  _ homey (and that didn’t mean tacky or cheap), but Link wasn’t going to be tricked into believing that that meant it hadn’t cost a fortune, and he wasn’t going to risk ruining it by sitting down. It was the type of furniture his mom would put  **plastic** on and only allow its use when very special guests (most likely old ladies from church, or on one occasion, their pastor) came to visit. There was no way that  **that** was where he was going to park himself down. Besides, he’d always been the down-and-dirty, get-on-the-floor-and-play-with-your-children-for-the-love-of-God- **please** type of father anyway. 

“So, what are we a’doodlin’?” 

* * *

 

Dinner didn’t take very long to arrive after Rhett ordered it, it arriving at the doorstep within thirty minutes of the time he tapped “confirm order.” Link imagined that it would have been quicker if Rhett lived somewhere else, sure despite the fact that he hadn’t seen the great bulk of it that Los Angeles was loaded with McDonalds locations. It was just that Rhett’s house was so hard to find for somebody who didn’t, you know,  _ live there _ . He even had to get on the phone with the driver to give more detailed directions, and when he apologized for being distracted with that, Link just smiled and shook his head to tell him he didn’t mind that all. 

Rhett sent the girls to wash their hands before eating, and Rhett and Link went to the informal dining room to wait for them. 

Link knew he would be turned down. Knew Rhett wouldn’t accept it, would tell him it’s okay, would refuse Link’s offer. But Link had learned that even though both of them knew that to be true, he still damn well better try. 

Pulling his wallet from his black skinny jeans, Link asked, “What’d our stuff run ya?”

“Put that away, Charles,” Rhett instructed, almost as if offering to reimburse him was a dirty thing. “I’ve got it.”

“Really, it’s okay—” Link tried, never having liked to be one to accept a free ride. A home-cooked dinner was one thing. It’d be weird to compensate Rhett for ingredients. But takeout? That, he should certainly cover. 

Rhett just shook his head, never having been the type to let people pay him back for anything, and he really meant anything. Cars, houses, surgeries, hospital stays,  _ anything _ . And if he could pay for all that and have it be no skin off his back, some burgers, fries, and  _ pancakes _ was the equivalent of asking him for a penny. But to Link, however? Rhett didn’t know for sure, but he got the feeling that it would be the equivalent of asking the guy to hand over half of his life savings. 

“Trust me, I don’t mind,” he said and placed a gentle hand over Link’s in order to stop him from pulling out money. “Please.”

Link nodded and reached back to place his wallet in his pocket once more, thanking Rhett profusely as he sat down. 

Not long after, Ryleigh and Hannah skipped into the room and excitedly hopped over to the table, their hands clasped tightly with one another. 

“Why don’t you set us up while I go get some drinks?” Rhett asked, looking over at Link. “Water? Soda? Whiskey? Wine?”

“Water’s fine. Thank you, Rhett.”

“And for Ryleigh?” 

“Oh, whatever she’d like. You know, like, some bourbon if you have it.”

A brief flash of horror crossed Rhett’s face at the statement, and it was only because Link looked so  _ serious _ . It wasn’t until he supplied a smile and assured, “I’m kidding!” that Rhett laughed.

“Hey, Ryleigh. What do you want to drink, kiddo?” 

“A coke, please, sir!” Ryleigh exclaimed happily and smiled. “Thank you!”

Once Hannah requested a water (because  _ her  _ Daddy didn’t like her having soda and she wasn’t in the mood for juice), Rhett was off to the kitchen and Link was out of his chair to pass out the food.

It was only a moment before Rhett returned with an armful of drinks, two waters and two sodas, and passed them around the table according to who ordered them. 

Then, he sat down and smiled at his fellow diners, tapping his hands on the table as if to be a drumroll. “Take it away, Hannah.”

Ryleigh and Link shared a look of bewilderment across the dinner table, but when Hanah crossed her hands over her meal, they knew exactly what was happening. 

“People say grace in Lost Angeles, too?!” she asked, her facing lighting up. That was something they did back home!

“I suppose so, baby,” Link said, though he tried to hide the fact that he deflated at his daughter’s realization. He thought he could get away from that, thought that his explanation was enough and that Ryleigh would never ask to say grace again. Well, at least not until they had the “proper furniture”. By then, he’d have another tale to tell in the previous one’s place. But he hadn’t accounted for them to be sitting at the dining room table so soon. 

* * *

 

**_Wednesday, October 17th, 2017 at 5:15 PM; Los Angeles, California_ **

* * *

 

_ Link and Ryleigh had spent some time after their nap playing with Ryleigh’s stuffed animals, but there was only so much imagining and playing-pretend that either of them could take before they got bored. It was a digital age, after all. It wasn’t like it was when Link had grown up, and after a while, Ryleigh asked if they could play an app on Link’s phone. The unfortunate thing was that his phone, or what used to be his phone, was still halfway across the country in Buies Creek.  _

_ So, instead, they did some school work using the crappy paper and pens provided by the motel. Despite the fact that Link was officially off the clock as her teacher, he still wanted Ryleigh to be as prepared as possible for her first day of “real school”.  _

_ They continued working on numbers and spelling until it was a reasonable hour for dinner, and then, Link got up and threw something together using the cheap electric burner he’d gotten at the store. That something, of course, was generic pasta with the cheapest tomato sauce he could find. A very carb-heavy, filling meal that they could save and eat leftovers of. Those types of meals, as far as he was concerned and at least for the foreseeable future, were Link’s best friend.  _

_ Serving Ryleigh’s plate and a considerably smaller portion for himself, Link helped Ryleigh onto the barstool and then sat himself down, too.  _

_ Picking up a plastic fork to wind his spaghetti around, Link was just about to place the bite in his mouth when Ryleigh shouted.  _

_ “Daddy, wait! What about saying grace?!” _

_ Dammit. He’d almost gotten away with it.  _

_ “Uh… No, sweetie,” Link said as he fumbled to come up with something on the fly. “We… don’t have to say grace because we’re not at the dinner table, we’re at the kitchen island. We only  _ **_have_ ** _ to say grace over food at a real dinner table.” That was it! They wouldn’t be able to afford a table for a  _ **_while_ ** _. That should keep him in the clear for  _ **_months_ ** _!   _

_ “Oh, okay!” Ryleigh hummed happily, swinging her feet as she sat higher up off the ground than she had in days. “Let’s eat some s’getti then!” _

* * *

 

__ **Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 7:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Although at home, Ryleigh held hands with her Mommy and Daddy to say grace, this time, she followed Hannah’s lead and clasped her hands together over her meal, bowing her head and allowing Hannah to say the prayer. 

Link did the same out of respect for the little girls, who clearly still believed in a higher power, and it looked, at least to him, as if Rhett was only doing it as a courtesy as well, which brought him some form of comfort. At least he wasn’t the only one. 

“Dear Lord,” the brunette began in a small, timid voice, clearing her throat much like her mother and father did when  **they** were praying over meals. She had learned to follow their suit relatively quickly once she learned to talk. In fact, she was just about to quote one of her father’s grace-sayings verbatim. “We ask you today, in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, to bless our meal and those around the table. We also thank you for the bountiful blessings you have already given us, and we have faith that you will continue to act according to your plan. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

And then, in stereo, the rest of the table, before raising their heads to begin their meal, echoed, “Amen.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our amazing betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathaloves, and good-mythical-maddi!

Link was so hungry that he didn’t bother with table manners after he noticed the rest of the group began eating. It had been so long since he’d eaten a decent amount of food that he didn’t care about embarrassing himself. He was just so hungry, and the food was so good. Rhett had been about to make a joke, asking Link when the last time he’d eaten was, but something told him it would’ve been a little too real. So, instead, after taking a few bites of his own food, he decided to bring up an upcoming holiday.

“So, you guys know it’s Halloween on Tuesday, right?” he asked with a smile.

Link did not, in fact, know that it was Halloween on Tuesday. His heart sank when Rhett brought it up. There was just no way in hell he could afford to get Ryleigh a costume. Making one themselves might be easier and more affordable, but even then, he just wasn’t sure. 

“Do we get to do the parade again?” Hannah asked, excited.

Rhett nodded. “Of course!”

“Parade?” Ryleigh asked, confused, her mouth full of chicken nuggets.

Hannah took the opportunity to explain that every year, the school held a Halloween parade where the students of each class walk around and show off their costumes to the other classes. “It’s so much fun!” 

Ryleigh started bouncing in her seat from excitement. “Daddy, can I walk in the parade?!” she questioned.

“Of course you can, baby girl,” Link assured, although he still wasn’t sure how the hell he was going to get her a costume. He’d figure it out.

As Rhett, Ryleigh, and Hannah all discussed their Halloween traditions, Link found himself dozing off again. As it turned out, nearly ten hours in a fantastic guest bed wasn’t enough to get him caught up. Desperately trying to keep himself awake, he just kept shovelling french fries into his mouth.

“I’m gonna get so much candy trick-or-treating, Mr. Rhett!” Hannah enthused. 

Still confused, Ryleigh asked, “You get a lot? I only got three pieces when I went trick-or-treating with my mommy…” 

Rhett raised his eyebrows in surprise. Who goes trick-or-treating only to get three pieces of candy? He was about to ask Ryleigh what her Halloween routine was when the girl pointed to her father.

“Uh, oh! Daddy fell asleep again! Daddy, wake up!” she yelled. “Why are you so sleepy?!”

“Your Daddy’s really tired, huh, Ry?” Rhett asked with a frown. He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder and gently shook him awake. “Wakey wakey,” he said softly, trying not to startle the man too bad.

“Dammit, I’m so sorry,” Link groaned as soon as he came to. He was too embarrassed to care that he’d cussed in front of the girls, and luckily Rhett didn’t seem to notice. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Charles. You can go lay down again, if you’d like,” Rhett offered. 

“No, no. It’s okay, I’m fine. I… We’ve stayed long enough. Thank you so much for your help today, but… I don’t want to overstay our…” Link’s sentence trailed off as Rhett began to shake his head.

“C’mon, man. Nonsense. Hannah’s already spending the night tonight. Why not make it a slumber party for the girls?”

“Yeah!” Hannah enthused with a gasp. “Please, Mr. Link? Please can Ryleigh stay too?” 

Link looked to Ryleigh to try to gauge how she felt about the whole thing. She’d never had a sleepover with anyone other than her grandparents before, and that hardly counted. 

Ryleigh, hearing the word party, nodded her head in excitement. “Can we stay, Daddy? Please?” 

Rhett didn’t say a word, but his expression spoke for him. “Can you really say no to that?”

And no, Link couldn’t. He really didn’t want to have to ride the bus all the way back to that shitty motel, either. So, with only slight hesitation, he nodded. “Okay, yeah. We can stay.”

The two girls cheered and clapped their hands. Hannah hugged Ryleigh, and Link couldn’t help but smile. His baby girl finally had a friend her own age. She’d never had that in North Carolina. 

“Can Ryleigh and I go put on some PJs?” Hannah asked. “It’s not a slumber party if we’re not all cozy!” Rhett chuckled and nodded, not bothering to ask them to clean up after themselves.

As soon as the girls were gone, Link spoke. “I don’t know what to say, Rhett. Thank you so much. Really. I don’t know what I did to deserve all of your help… I’m really sorry for being such an imposition.”

Rhett shook his head. “Charles, I promise you. You are in no way, shape, or form burdening me. I’m more than happy to have you and Ryleigh here.”

Link ate a couple more fries before saying, “About Halloween…” 

Rhett spoke after Link trailed off. “Oh, yeah. I saw you make a face when we were talking about costumes. I have extras in case some parents can’t afford any, if that’s the issue. But even if Ryleigh doesn’t like what I’ve got, I’d be more than happy to go out and buy her one...”

“We’re trying to do things differently here,” Link said softly. “A fresh start and all. But with the moving expenses and us moving into our apartment soon and… and… For something they’re only gonna use once and never again, Halloween costumes sure are expensive. But that doesn’t mean I want you to pay for something. I’m her father. I can figure that out—”

“Nonsense,” Rhett said and shook his head as Link sunk as low as stealing a chicken nugget out of Ryleigh’s container, but immediately realizing what he was doing and pushing his chair out so he would just  _ stop.  _ “Ryleigh…” How did he put this? “Ryleigh’s a Suncrest student now, and you get that distinction for life. Suncrest teachers do all they can to help Suncrest students, yes? I’d do this for anybody.”

Link nodded and thanked him profusely, noting, “You should have her look at what you have first so you don’t have to spend any money if you don’t have to, but our big plan before we…”  _ had to go? _ “She wanted to be Alice in Wonderland.”

“Alice in Wonderland. Got it,” he winked. “Also, this is kind of an unspoken thing, but I’ll tip you off since you’re new. I know it’s super last minute, so don’t worry about not being able to make it if you can’t, but I think it’d be a good idea. Every year, the teachers take their classes trick-or-treating, and then we meet up at my place for a party. There’ll be pizza and Halloweentown. I think it’d be a good idea for Ryleigh to come so she can spend some time with her classmates outside of school. She really seemed to have a lot of fun today, so I think she could benefit from it. Besides, I’d love to spend some time getting to know you in a more relaxed environment.”

Link couldn’t help but feel as if he was being asked on a date. ‘Spend some time getting to know you’? Him specifically? But it couldn’t be a  _ date  _ could it? There would be an entire school worth of children, teachers, and parent chaperones there. That was hardly a date. 

Link knew he should say no anyway. Knew it very well could turn into something. But there was something, most likely his parental concern for Ryleigh and her current lack of fun experiences, that urged him to accept. And so, too tired to fight off the voice in his head begging him to say yes, he did it. “We’d love to.”

* * *

 

**Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at 10:23 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link had insisted on staying awake to help with the girls until they were laid down in bed. Link was surprised that Ryleigh didn’t ask to sleep in his guest bed. Instead, she was not only agreeable, but  _ excited _ to share one with her “new best friend.”

 

Of course, this meant that he rolled into bed just a few minutes prior, the girls having stayed up giggling for at least an hour past their respective bedtimes.

But now, Rhett was alone in his kitchen, sitting at the island as he drowned in pictures from a life that he’d let slip through his fingers like sand on a beach. 

They were the only thing he’d brought from the old house when he moved. He’d purchased an entirely new wardrobe (so he didn’t put on a shirt one morning and realize it was Lauren’s favorite), a new phone so that he could preserve the last one like a treasure… Hell, he’d bought an entirely new mansion to escape the hell of living where they once did. But the photos? He couldn’t replace those. He couldn’t make  **new** memories with them. That part of his life was over. So, he just had to bring them with him. Yes, even  **if** he hid them away in a chest of momentos until such times came where he could bear to look at them. 

He started with the album that he and Lauren had kept for the photos of when they were dating, when it all began. Their first date, their first kiss, their first cross-country roadtrip. 

He remembered that their first date was at a Church’s Chicken of all places. Lauren had been starving after class, had had a craving and asked Rhett to come along because they had hit it off during the lecture and she hadn’t wanted to stop talking to him. 

Their first kiss had been cliche as all hell. It had been pouring rain and neither of them had umbrellas. Why would they? It was Los Angeles. Rain was as rare as the second coming of Jesus Christ. Neither of them expected it, and Lauren would have gotten soaked if Rhett hadn’t offered up his jacket to use to cover her head. He knew he certainly had come home sopping wet. But the “thank you, goodnight” kiss on his front porch made the way his favorite pair of shoes sounded like a wet sponge for days afterward all worth it. 

They argued on their first road trip together. It was during the summer and they decided to take a week away to go to Disney World. But they’d made the mistake of driving in an attempt to spend more time learning about each other. It was cramped. It was hot. Lauren got her period in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. It was a disaster. Tensions were high through no fault of their own, and they swore never to roadtrip ever again. Always to fly. But once they finally did get to Florida, they’d had the best week ever. 

After that, it was their wedding album. The caterer was late and it was  _ hot _ . Rhett swore he almost melted in his tux. The flower girl cried the entire way down the aisle and the videographer needed a rush order on a new camera the morning of because his had broken as he was setting up. But the sun set over their heads as they had their first dance as a married couple and they got to walk away (only to get on a  _ plane  _ for their honeymoon) as husband and wife, so all in all, Rhett was happy with the way the day ended, and thankfully, so was she. But then again, Lauren had always been understanding. 

Next came the baby books. First Savannah, then Oliver, then Ella. From their first bath to their first steps to their first word, it was all covered and meticulously detailed. For each of them, might Rhett add. They had vowed not to be the kind of parents who did the first baby book justice but only filled out the first three pages for subsequent children. 

Pictures of them playing, pictures of them  _ smiling _ . Pictures of them dirty and messy and covered in pureed carrots and prunes. Pictures of them  _ living _ . Stories of funny things that they did or said.  Rhett liked to look back on these to remind himself of the fact that while they may have lost it young, they had led  **good** lives filled with love and  **laughter** . To remind himself that he had been the best father he could be to those children, and that that was all he could really do, after all. 

But that didn’t help his guilt at all. It only helped him know that they were at peace after all the pain he inadvertently caused them. But the regret? The anger he felt toward himself for not doing what a good father would? That didn’t go away, and neither did the images that weren’t in any book, that weren’t ones he’d ever even seen. Knowing that they were finally at rest (well, most of them, anyway), didn’t stop his brain from filling with the scene that he should have been there to witness, to  _ save  _ them from. 

Okay, he imagined it worse than it probably had been. He saw the fire and the flames that weren’t evident from their bodies when they were identified, when  _ he  _ identified them. The car hadn’t combusted. It hadn’t burned them, charred them. All it had done, of course, was run off the road into a ravine. All it had done was take them off of the highway and down a hill where they, or at least Rhett pictured, were screaming for their lives as the vehicle tumbled and crushed them to death under its own weight. 

He should have been there, should have been able to stop it. Should have saved them or died trying. How was it fair that  **he** was the one who got to keep going when there were four  _ way _ more deserving people in that car who should have gotten the chance instead?

Rhett had to close the books and put them away when he got to that point, when he got to thinking about what could have been, what should have been. What he had done wrong. Thoughts like that could only hurt, not heal. That’s what his therapist told him, anyway. And when the healing was done and there was nothing left to gain from perusing those books, the best thing he could do for himself was place them back where they belonged. 

Once they were back in their special chest, Rhett pushed the photo albums from his mind as he brushed his teeth, took his medication, and changed into pajamas so that he could slip into bed.  _ His  _ bed. 

He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t had nightmares that night, but there were much less than there used to be, and for that, he was grateful. It was just a sign that tomorrow would be a better day. Or, of course, he could hope. 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark. We love and adore you all :3

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 6:02 AM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

 

Dragging herself out of bed, Caroline rubbed the sleep from her eyes and made her way over to the closet to pick out her outfit for the day. The day, of course, being her first back to work since Hunter and Ryleigh disappeared. 

She didn’t really care much what she wore today, knowing that everything in her closet that was on the side for work was appropriate and a good choice. She had made sure of that when she’d bought these things. 

While normally she had more of an opinion on what she was going to dress herself in for her  _ job,  _ she couldn’t bring herself to give a damn this morning, just like she didn’t feel guilty when all she had for breakfast was a coke and a slice of cold cheese pizza. 

If it were up to her, Caroline wouldn’t go to work today or ever. If it were up to her, she’d devote all her time, energy, and money into finding out where Hunter and Ryleigh were. Not to bring them home, not to make Hunter’s life any harder than it already was by trying to take Ryleigh from him, but just to know where they’d gone. She’d bleed herself dry to know that they had arrived to their new home safely.

But she couldn’t do that. She had to make money. She was an adult, after all. Not living up to expectations, to her responsibilities, to the  _ reality  _ of the situation, would have consequences. And the reality here was that while it was very sad what had become of her family, she still had bills and a mortgage and food and  **life** to pay for, and she couldn’t do that if she lost her job. But by this point, she was considering throwing in the towel and moving in with her parents so she had little more activity in her life than hiding beneath the covers and wishing her life had worked out the way she had hoped, wishing that they had gotten a happy ending. Of course, it wasn’t as if her mother and father would let her. 

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 8:00 AM; Fayetteville, North Carolina**

* * *

 

Caroline’s supervisor had been kind to her. He’d told her that for not only the first day, but the first three days that she was back in the office, it would strictly be paperwork. She wouldn’t have to show any properties, and her only interaction with people would be through the telephone behind a closed office door. He had a feeling that she would need the time to get readjusted to having to be on the job, knowing that he certainly would if something like what had happened to Caroline happened to him. Hell, he had wanted to give her  _ more  _ time to grieve and to deal with her personal matters, but his own boss had vetoed that plan. The least he could do was his best, and his best was easing her back in. If she needed to spend the day crying at her desk and only ended up filling out one form, then that was what had to happen. 

So, here she was, filling out her paperwork and drinking the coffee she had picked up from Starbucks on the way in, having been too tired and unmotivated to make her own at home.  

Much too soon, though, she deflated and let her thoughts get the best of her, her mind drifting to other things, or rather, people. Namely, her daughter and significant other. Or, well,  _ former  _ significant other. He wasn’t hers anymore just as much as she wasn’t his. He had made that decision for the both of them when he chose to leave. And the straw that broke the camel’s back? Well, she knew exactly what  _ that  _ was.

* * *

 

**_Sunday, October 15th, 2017 at 7:24 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina_ **

* * *

 

_ She didn’t know why it set her off. She had been fine for hours now, and before that, her last outburst was yesterday. Granted, this morning when Ryleigh didn’t want to get in the car for church, when she wanted to go straight to the nail salon, that could have been handled differently. Caroline could have talked her down and out of a tantrum. But lately, she just hadn’t had the patience. Lately, she blew her top at the smallest things. _

_ Tonight, the offense that provoked her was the fact that Ryleigh didn’t want to clear her plate. She had had no problem devouring her Reuben and the small amount of Cool Ranch Doritos that Caroline had put on her plate, but when it came time to eat her greens? That, naturally, she did not want to do.  _

_ It was always,  _ **_always_ ** _ , a fight with Ryleigh to consume her veggies. Caroline had tried hiding them in foods she liked. Had tried baking them with spices. Had tried making silly faces out of them on her plate. Had tried a combination of all three. But nothing seemed to work, and tonight, Ryleigh’s refusal just struck her the wrong way.   _

_ That’s how she ended up in the poor girl’s face, screaming her head off about how there were starving children in third-world countries who would be  _ **_grateful_ ** _ for those string beans, and how not only would that be the only food Ryleigh ate until she cleared her plate of them no matter  _ **_how_ ** _ many meal times it took, she swore to God she’d tear her a  _ **_fucking_ ** _ new one if she didn’t finish them  _ **_now_ ** _ , and after she was done with her, Ryleigh would  _ **_still_ ** _ have to finish the greens.  _

_ But like always, she calmed down. After almost an hour long triade about  _ **_string beans_ ** _ , she calmed down. And, of course, she knew she couldn’t go to bed with things how she left them. Broken. Broken like they always were, like they always would be. She would never change,  _ **_could_ ** _ never change, and she knew that. But the least she could do, the bare fucking minimum, was apologize to her sweet girl and hope she was forgiven.  _

_ “Ryleigh,” she said softly, leaning against the doorway and giving a gentle smile to show that she came peacefully. “Can Mommy get you to bed tonight?” _

_ “No thank you,” Ryleigh mumbled quietly, averting her eyes to the floor after only catching a glimpse of her mother; she knew who she was by the sound of her voice. She didn’t need to look at her. “Daddy’s gonna get me to bed,” she declined, gesturing to Hunter who was picking out her pajamas.  _

_ “Don’t you want a goodnight song, though?” she tried, though she knew full well her attempt would be thwarted with a comeback.  _

_ “No thank you, Mommy. Daddy’ll sing a goodnight song for me,” she said with a deep sigh, walking over to Hunter so that she could see which pajamas he had chosen. Hello Kitty. Perfect.  _

_ Caroline cleared her throat to get her boyfriend’s attention, and when he met her eyes, she gave him a pleading look.  _

_ “I’m not leaving you alone with her, Caroline,” he said, and he just sounded  _ **_tired_ ** _. Defeated. Done. Of course, she wouldn’t know just how done until the sun set on the next day. “You can say whatever you need to say while I’m here.” _

_ Well, she couldn’t say that wasn’t fair.  _

_ Caroline knew she wasn’t going to get Ryleigh to sit on the bed with her like she had hoped, so instead, she entered the room and crouched down to her daughter’s height in front of her. “Ryleigh. Mommy is very sorry for getting so angry at dinner. We were having a nice time and then I made you unhappy, didn’t I?” When Ryleigh nodded, still not meeting her eye, Caroline nodded. “I’m sorry for that. Sometimes, Mommy loses her temper when she doesn’t mean to, and what I said to you was not nice at all.  _ **_Especially_ ** _ the naughty words I used. Those aren’t for little girls like you to hear, sweet potato, and Mommy didn’t mean  _ **_any_ ** _ of it. I would never hurt you, my special girl, even if it frustrates me when you don’t eat your greens. Do you forgive me?” _

_ Yes, Mommy got angry a lot. Yes, she cussed and yelled and got red in the face. But she always apologized, and Ryleigh always forgave her. Then again, before tonight, Caroline had never threatened to lay a hand on her, and Ryleigh couldn’t help but wonder whether or not she’d start. After all, she’d been doing it to her Daddy for as long as she could remember. “You’re not gonna hit me?” Ryleigh asked timidly, finally looking up to meet Caroline’s gaze.  _

_ “Of course not, baby. Never.” _

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 8:07 AM; Fayetteville, North Carolina**

* * *

 

That wasn’t where she’d gone wrong, of course not. Hunter leaving after that fight was a result of many years of building pressure and intense emotions. Her exploding in Ryleigh’s face, and the fight, or, rather, one-sided physical altercation, that went down after Ryleigh was asleep, was simply the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. No. Caroline had had plenty of time to think about it over the past couple weeks, and she knew exactly what had turned their relationship sour. 

* * *

 

**_Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 at 4:37 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina_ **

* * *

 

_ Caroline had been in bed for what felt like weeks now. She’d come home, put on one of Hunter’s old tee shirts, and go right to sleep. Without eating. Without waiting for him to get back from work, too. Would just go right to sleep because she was  _ **_tired_ ** _ and  _ **_sad_ ** _ and couldn’t help it.  _

_ She didn’t know where it came from. She hadn’t been this sad in years, and had hardly ever been sad at all since meeting Hunter. But one day, it just hit her like a train off the tracks and she couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.  _

_ She was barely awake by the time Hunter walked in from work, moments away from falling asleep when he crawled into the bed next to her, socked feet on top of the comforter as he greeted her.  _

_ “Hey, darlin’,” he said softly, reaching out to sweep a strand of fallen hair behind Caroline’s ear. “You up?” _

_ “Hey,” she mumbled, her eyes fluttering open so that she could see her boyfriend as he was speaking to her. “How was work?” _

_ “Same old, same old,” Hunter answered, moving closer so that he could wrap his arms around her thin frame. She had already been a tiny lady a couple weeks ago, but now, she was just plain wasting away. “But I wanna talk about you. How was your day? What do you want for dinner? I can run out and get us BoJangles if you want. How are you feeling?” _

_ Wrapping her arms around Hunter, Caroline sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. Their bed was comfortable and all, but being in his arms was all the comfort she needed.   _

_ “I’m not hungry. Just want to sleep,” she muttered, curling into him. “Want you to stay.” _

_ “Then I’ll stay,” Hunter assured, pulling his girlfriend flush to his chest, bringing her as close as he could get her. “But you need to eat, Car. Did you have anything for lunch? I can just order a pizza or something. Anything you want—” _

_ “No thanks,” she said again. “You’re sweet to offer, though, baby.” _

_ “Maybe you should see a psychiatrist, sweetheart,” Hunter said encouragingly, stroking her fiery red hair in slow motions. “You’ve been feeling like this for weeks now… and nothing I’ve done seems to be helping. Maybe medication would do you some good, hm? Get you back to your sunshiney self?” Get her back to the girl that he loved. Not that he didn’t love her like this, but to see her so beaten down was painful.  _

_ In response to the statement, Caroline looked more expressive than she had in weeks, but that wasn’t saying much. Her eyes widened only a  _ **_little_ ** _ , but Hunter could tell something was wrong regardless of whether or not they were positively huge.  _

_ “I don’t think so,” she responded as breezily as she could despite the fact that her breath was hitched so tight in her throat she thought it might strangle her to death. “Let’s just handle this in-house.” _

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 8:16 AM; Fayetteville, North Carolina**

* * *

 

Tears streamed down Caroline’s face, hard and heavy and fast, and she was a lucky woman for the fact that she kept makeup in her purse and a compact mirror, too, so that she could fix her mascara and the black streaks it left in its wake as it soared down her cheeks. 

**That** , she realized, was where she had gone wrong. Not nipping the problem in the bud when and where it began. Being too much of a  _ coward  _ to take Hunter’s advice, avoiding her past like the black plague so  **she** wouldn’t have to go through the pain of a trigger. Of a retraumatization. All she had done that day was think about herself, and she was damn sure it was the most selfish thing she’d ever done considering what it had led to. 

If she had just listened, if she had just said, “Okay, baby. As long as you go with me,” and left it at that, if she had made an appointment and  _ gone _ , even if she needed to use Hunter as a security blanket, there was a better chance she’d have her family right about now. It wasn’t guaranteed, but Hunter had always been so forgiving, so understanding. Maybe if she had made the slightest bit of goddamn  _ effort _ , everything would be okay. But of course, she had just  _ had  _ to be selfish. And now, everything was lost to her.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, good-mythical-maddi, chibitabathaloves, and ssodangdark

******Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 7:35 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

After hugging and kissing Ryleigh goodbye and letting her into the yard with Mr. Rhett, Link walked away to head to work. His hours were still the same, of course, but with dropping Ryleigh off early, he had some extra wiggle room if it took him a bit longer than he’d like to get to his particular IBM office.

This morning, he was particularly grateful for said wiggle room, because he was stopped by a group of women who looked to be in their late twenties to early thirties, all wearing yoga pants and wide-strapped tank tops. Link’s first thought was that they must be those Los Angeles stay-at-home moms on their way to spin class or maybe hot yoga, but also knew that that might be just the slightest bit judgmental and presumptuous. 

“Hey, you’re Ryleigh’s dad, right?” one of them, a brunette with a light pink shade of lipstick and kind, but tired eyes asked, a genuine smile spread across her face.

“Yeah, I am,” Link answered, trying his damndest to stifle a yawn. He couldn’t wait to get to the office for some coffee, even if it was complete and utter sludge. He wished he could get more from the cafeteria… That had been pretty good for canteen coffee. 

The first thought that Link had was that one of these mothers had a grievance with his daughter, and he was ready to apologize or get on the defensive depending on what came out of their mouths next. Or, the worse thought was that they saw the news broadcast and recognized him even despite his disguise. That possibility made his heart skip beats. But to his surprise, they hadn’t stopped him to complain or to accost him for literally kidnapping a child, but rather to say some kind words. 

“Well, we just wanted to say hello and welcome you,” another, a strawberry blonde with green eyes and smile lines continued for her friend, “seeing as you’re a new parent here at Suncrest. We all know what that’s like, but certainly not joining in the middle of the year!”

Link prayed to he didn’t even know who anymore that these women wouldn’t ask him why Ryleigh had come to Suncrest almost two months into the school year, but to his great relief, they failed to. 

Before he could thank them for the welcome, a third woman, a tall, thin, and raven-haired mother kept the conversation going. “So, what do you think of Mr. Rhett?”

“He’s great, huh?” the blonde asked, and she had that look in her eyes that told Link that she thought he was dreamy on top of “great”. In fairness, he couldn’t blame her. “ _ So _ good with the kids.”

“Isn’t he?!” the brunette exclaimed. “You know, he might just be the most genuine, kind-hearted person I’ve ever met. He does so much for not only the school community, but for the individual kids and parents. My little Braylynn was a little behind when she started kindergarten. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a very bright girl, but she had some difficulty starting, you know? But Mr. Rhett whipped her right into shape and now she’s thriving in Mr. Morris’s third grade class! Mr. Rhett is a saint walking among us, let me tell you…” the woman trailed off, fishing for a name. 

“Charles,” Link provided, holding out his hand for her to shake. “Charles Neal.”

* * *

 

Unlike on his journey to Rhett’s house, the trek to the bus stop from the school wasn’t a trek at all, but rather a leisurely stroll down a couple of streets. Well, until it wasn’t leisurely anymore. Not after he heard it.  

He planted his feet down when the sound reached his ears, trying his hardest not to instinctively flee. He didn’t know  **who** the suspect was, if there even was one, and he didn’t want to be considered it. That was, if he wasn’t already. 

He couldn’t shake the feeling that the police were coming for him, to take him away, to haul him to prison for so long that the next time he saw his daughter, she’d have children of her own. 

His body shook even in the warmth of the California sun, and he knew that this very well might be the last time he saw the sun at all, so he tried his hardest to bask in it, if only to ground himself until the moment he was thrown over the hood of the patrol car and handcuffed. 

His breathing became quicker and more shallow as the cop car came into view, but he visibly relaxed the moment it drove straight down the street as opposed to turning onto the one that Link was standing on the corner of. They weren’t here for him. They didn’t know who or where he was. He was safe. 

He stood still for a moment to catch his breath, but after a while, he knew he’d have to get moving or forget about time to spare, he’d actually be  **late** for work, which was something he couldn’t have happen. He could only hope he’d calm down enough before he stepped into the office—that he didn’t look as disheveled as he was sure he appeared right now. 

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 9:41 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link had been working on some boring project for the past couple of days, specs for a financial building or something. He didn’t know. He only did the work. That alone was reason enough for his brain to wander despite the fact that he was supposed to give his full attention to this stupid job. But this time, it didn’t wander to Caroline, the investigation, or ways to keep Ryleigh safe. Instead, it wandered to the conversation he’d had with those ladies outside the schoolyard a couple of hours earlier, what they had said, and what he’d  _ heard _ . Instead, it wandered to  _ Rhett _ . 

First, it wandered to Rhett and his kindness toward his daughter and the kindness that he had heard about secondhand from the mothers who had approached him in their little group earlier. It wandered to the kindness that Rhett had shown  _ him. _

How Rhett had invited him to his home in order to get him some rest. How he had ordered dinner and refused to be paid back. How after dinner, he had allowed Link to stay the night because he was too tired to get home. 

Then, it went to their conversation at the dinner table. How Rhett had tried to include them, how he had told them about an unspoken gathering just so they wouldn’t miss it due to their tardiness to the school year. How Rhett was interested in him, asked him to come and hang out at the party so that they could get to know one another. Link was apprehensive about that of course, not a fan of letting somebody get too close to him lest they discover the truth, but it was an extremely kind gesture nonetheless, seeing as he was the new guy in town and didn’t know anybody. Rhett was just trying to help.  _ Everything _ that Mr. Rhett had done so far was kind, though, so that came as no surprise. 

After that, it was just plain daydreaming. Thinking about Rhett and their upcoming not-date, if it would turn into something more than just chilling on the fringes of a party and talking. If Rhett would ask him to coffee or to a movie or dinner. If that movie or coffee or dinner would turn into another and then a third and then Rhett asking him back to his place for a little something more. If they’d get married on a beautiful beach somewhere and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. He wondered if he’d  _ get  _ a happy ending. Not just with Rhett, but with anybody, for that matter. In fact, he wondered if he even deserved it. 

He tried to push back whatever feelings for Rhett that started to creep up. To bury them deep into the back of his mind. As he’d discovered that morning, he wasn’t in the minority when it came to having a thing for his kid’s teacher. Mr. Rhett was undoubtedly the object of affection for half the school, as far as he knew. If the guy was even single, there was no way in hell he’d go after Link, the trainwreck of a father who can’t control his child and consistently looks like a zombie. There were plenty of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes, whatever floated Mr. Rhett’s boat, in that community. Link was certainly at the bottom of the barrel. And all of that was even assuming Rhett would want to date the parent of a student in the first place, which Link was certain wouldn’t be the case. He heaved a heavy sigh. He was  **really** letting his mind get away from him.  

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 12:27 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Jason ran a tired hand over his face when his only pink-haired student entered his office, her stuffed giraffe in her arms and a deep frown on her lips.

She had already been to his office twice in the short time that she had been a student at Suncrest. It wasn’t that he was tired of seeing her. He liked Ryleigh. She was apologetic and trying to do better. Remorse wasn’t something you found often in five year olds. But, that said, he wanted her to be sent down to his office for  **good** things. Awards. A special prize for getting straight A’s on her report card.  _ Something _ that wasn’t, “screamed in another student’s face and called him a motherfucker, Jason, can you believe that?”

Rhett had asked—well, by this point,  _ begged _ —Jason not to call Ryleigh’s dad, and certainly not to disrupt him at work. He knew Ryleigh had potential and he knew that Link was worn down. He wasn’t certain, but he, at the very least,  _ hoped  _ that he could handle this walking disaster without parental involvement. Rather, without  **Jason** initiating parental involvement. But Jason really,  _ really _ wanted to call Ryleigh’s dad. 

It was Jason’s policy to call parents over serious infractions the  _ first  _ time they happened, and Rhett had asked him to let that one slide even  **though** it was a physical fight. Okay, fine. Rhett had clout at this school. Jason trusted him. Sure. 

But now that Ryleigh was getting sent to his office  **again** in the same month? Rightfully, Jason wanted to see what was up. But still, he refrained, deciding to talk to Rhett about it later. He knew most of his students pretty well, but in this case, Rhett knew Ryleigh way better than he did. Yes, he was the principal, but when it came to Ryleigh, at least for now, it was better to defer to her teacher than to upset an already difficult situation. And, besides, this situation was decidedly and thankfully less of an issue than the last. Luckily, this was just some run-of-the-mill misbehavior. That much, Jason Inman could handle. 

“Good afternoon, Ryleigh,” Jason greeted, sitting up straight in his chair and gesturing to one of the seats in front of his desk. Rhett’s words to him echoed in his head as she sat.  _ “The girl just needs some love, man. I don’t think she’s getting enough at home.” _

“Hi, Mr. Jason,” Ryleigh greeted, practically scowling, though certainly not at him. She’d learned not to scowl at grown-ups. It wasn’t polite. “I’m here.”

“I can see that,” Jason acknowledged, resisting the urge to smile at her. He had gotten pretty good at keeping a poker face over the years, especially when children were  _ actually  _ making him mad, but kindergarteners trying to look angry was one of the cutest things he’d ever seen (when they weren’t screaming their heads off, that was). “And why are you here, Ryleigh?” He knew why. Rhett had  _ told  _ him why. He just wanted to hear it from her, in her own words, because if he told her himself, he had learned that their discussion wouldn’t be as effective. 

“Because Mr. Rhett told me to come,” she grumbled, scooting so far back in her chair that her legs just barely moved past the edge of the seat. 

“Okay, yes. I know that. But why did Mr. Rhett send you?” 

“Because he said I wasn’t behaving,” Ryleigh muttered. “But it’s so hard!”

“Hard to behave?” Jason asked. “Why’s that?”

Ryleigh was quiet for a short time before she mumbled a response. “They won’t share toys and sometimes they talk super loud when it’s s’posed to be quiet time!” 

“Who is ‘they’, Ryleigh? The other kids in your class?” Jason asked. 

“All of them ‘cept for Hannah! She’s my friend!” Ryleigh responded eagerly. 

Jason sighed. He took a moment to think about how to continue. Ryleigh stared up at him with her sweet puppy-dog eyes, but he didn’t drop his poker face. Eventually, a question came to mind. “Ryleigh, before you started here at Suncrest, how many friends did you have?” He thought he might be onto something. 

“Just my daddy! Daddy’s my friend still. And sometimes Mommy. But Mommy isn’t with us anymore…” The last part of Ryleigh’s answer had clearly made the girl feel disappointed, sad, or something else that Jason couldn’t quite place. 

Not wanting to risk upsetting her further for something that wasn’t a part of his original line of questioning, thinking he’d circle back around to it if need be, he simply said, “I’m sorry about your mommy, sweetheart. But, what about friends your own age? Did you have many of them?”

Ryleigh shook her head without a second thought. “Just Daddy, Mr. Jason! Daddy’s my bestest friend, but Hannah too, now.”

Yep. There it was. Miss Ryleigh Neal was not used to spending any time with children. Children her own age, or children at all, it seemed. Of  _ course _ she was getting fed up. Kindergarteners were annoying sometimes, and certainly when you weren’t used to it. Especially when you seemed to be more emotionally mature than the lot of them. It made him sad, but he understood. 

“So, Ryleigh, let me get this straight,” Jason started. “It’s hard for you to behave because you’re not used to the other kids getting on you nerves. Is that right?” 

Ryleigh pouted her lip and thought for a moment, but eventually nodded. “Yeah…” 

Jason nodded and sat back in his chair, relaxing slightly. “Well, I can understand getting annoyed. But that doesn’t mean—”

“I knoooooow!” Ryeligh interrupted, getting annoyed at her principal now, too. She’d been told so many times that day that her misbehaving wasn’t okay, and she was well aware of it by now. “I know I’m not s’posed to say bad words and yell.”

“I know you know, sweetie,” Jason said gently, trying to calm her down. “But what if I told you I had a plan?”

The girl was skeptical. She gave him a side eye that, if it were in another situation, would have made Jason laugh. “A plan?” she questioned.

“Yep. A plan,” he confirmed before explaining. “If you start feeling overwhelmed with everything, try to take some deep breaths to calm yourself down first. But if that doesn’t work, I want you to politely ask Mr. Rhett if you can leave the room, and come to my office and sit with me. Think you can do that?” 

Ryleigh mulled over his proposition in her head, trying to understand what he’d said. “But why would I be in trouble if I didn’t even yell or cuss yet?” she asked, assuming that no matter what, if she was in his office, it was a bad thing.

“No, no, no, sweetie,” Jason assured. “You wouldn’t be in trouble. I call kids up here for all sorts of reasons, sometimes good ones. You coming up here, in that situation, would just be for you to get away from what was making you angry. You can come to my office to cool off if you absolutely need to. We can have a chat, and when you feel ready, you can head back to Mr. Rhett. How does that sound?” 

“So, I wouldn’t be in trouble?” she asked again.

Jason shook his head. “If you don’t misbehave, no. You would not be in trouble.”

“Okay.” Ryleigh thought she could handle that. She didn’t want to have to go to her principal’s office, but  _ gosh _ , those kids could get annoying. She knew Mr. Rhett didn’t like sending her up to the office, though. So, she was going to try her absolute best to stay in the room. But, if the choice was between cussing and making Mr. Rhett mad and going up to Mr. Jason’s office  _ before _ Mr. Rhett was mad, she’d choose the latter. 

“Do we have a deal? Can you pinkie promise me?” Jason asked, remembering the girl had offered that gesture the first time he’d seen her.

“Pinkie promise!” she enthused, offering her hand. They shook on it.

“Think you can handle going back to class now, sweetie?” 

Ryleigh nodded and hopped down off of her chair. “Bye bye, Mr. Jason,” she said with a wave before letting herself out. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the door’s handle, but she managed. Jason couldn’t help but chuckle at how much determination Ryleigh had. She certainly was a wild one. 

Before he had a chance to forget or get distracted with another task, Jason dialed Rhett’s number so he could update him on the plan he and Ryleigh had agreed upon. 

“I think I want to talk to her dad,” Jason said once Rhett was updated. “I’ve been thinking about it and I… I think it’d be a good idea to update him. I know you said that he’s having a rough go of it, and I saw that damn good and clear when he signed her up, but that doesn’t mean he needs to know any less.”

“I know he needs to know,” Rhett sighed. “But he and I have a rapport. I’ll do it, okay?”

“Rhett, this is the second time she’s been in my office so far. I really think I should.”

“Jason, man, please. Let me do it this time. But if it happens again, you can talk to him.”

“Okay,” Jason agreed tentatively. “Good luck.”

When they hung up, Jason went back to work and so did Rhett, but both of their minds were filled with thoughts of Ryleigh, Link, and what must be going on in  _ their  _ heads. 

Rhett had to wonder about what was happening at home. The bruises on Hunter’s face, Ryleigh’s incessant cursing and fighting, and the fact that Rhett had never met Ryleigh’s mother and that they actively skirted around where she was… It all raised red flags for Rhett. 

He had to wonder if Link was being abused. Maybe not Ryleigh, because he didn’t see any signs of that in her, but certainly her father. He wondered if it was at the hands of Ryleigh’s mother, or somebody else. Wondered if he should say something or wait until something definitive happened to take action. Wondered if it’d be too late by then. But for now, in this moment, he could only hope that Link would be okay.

* * *

 

Carefully stepping over a dozen sleeping kindergarteners clutching blankets and the stuffed animals they had brought from home, Rhett finally exited the carpet and walked across the room to reach his desk. 

Grabbing his work cellphone, he opened up his contact list and searched for the name of Miss Ryleigh Neal’s father, calling the number before stepping out of the room to talk. 

The phone rang for a while, but Rhett assumed that Link was just quickly finishing something up. He was at work, after all. The man really needed a cellphone so he could call him at home instead. Or, well, he supposed he could have just waited until Link came to pick Ryleigh up for the evening. 

When Link finally picked up, his voice sounded tired and like he knew exactly what was coming. So, it was no surprise when Rhett said, “Charles? I’m calling to talk about Ryleigh.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our betas for this chapter, @afangirlsplaylist, @good-mythical-maddi and @chibitabathasloves, for being so great!

"Yeah, I figured you would be," Link said, typing away on his computer as he cradled his desk phone between his shoulder and ear. "What did she do this time? I'm sorry she's been causing you so much trouble." Rhett was such a nice guy. He certainly didn't deserve it.

"It's no problem, really," Rhett said reassuringly, running a hand through his blond hair. "Just a little bit of your run of the mill misbehavior. No fight or anything this time. Anyway, I sent her down to Jason and he found out that she's been acting out because she's not used to being around the other kids. This isn't a judgment against you, but she told him that she didn't really have friends back where you used to live?" It was more a question rather than anything else; Rhett was fishing for confirmation or denial.

"Yeah, that's right," Link answered. "You know, we homeschooled her, as I told you, and she... Well, it was a small town." He didn't want to give too much away in regards to their prior location. "Not many other kids to begin with."

"That's okay. I like to work in the present, and there are plenty of kids here. To explain a bit more, Ryleigh's feeling overwhelmed. I completely understand. Kindergarteners can be a lot to handle, especially when you're not used to them and especially when you're as mature as Ryleigh is. And that's a testament to the good job you're doing with her, by the way. We just need to give her time to adapt to the new environment. In the meantime, whenever she gets overwhelmed, she has permission to go down to Jason's office without consequence to chill out for a little while. Of course, if she acts up, there'll be consequences, but if she just leaves quietly and respectfully, she won't be in trouble. I was wondering if you had a cooldown system like that in place at home, if one's even necessary? I wouldn't imagine so, considering that her problem is with other kids... Do you have any other children, Charles?"

Link cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly despite the fact that he knew that Rhett couldn't see him. "No, no other kids. Ryleigh's my one and only."  _ Their  _ one and only. "And, to answer your other question, there's no system in place at home. I mean, she cusses and stomps her feet and whatever sometimes, but nothing like getting violent, so no, it's not a problem at home. Thank you for keeping me in the loop, though. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Charles," Rhett acknowledged, a small smile gracing his face. "I'm hoping that tomorrow night will give her a better chance to socialize and that it'll help, you know?" There was a beat when he paused before he said, "I picked up the Alice in Wonderland costume, was gonna surprise her with it tomorrow morning, and I was wondering if it would be okay to take her straight to my house and you meet us there after you're done with work? I just figure there's no sense in you coming to pick her up when we're all meeting at the same place anyway."

"Yeah, that's fine. Thank you so much, Mr. Rhett. I really appreciate all of this..." Heaven knew there would  _ be  _ no Halloween without him. "Just... thanks."

"Of course, Charles. See you tonight."

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 6:05 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Thankfully, Link walked into the school relatively on time. Five minutes late, yes, but better than being as late as he'd previously been. After thanking Rhett for watching Ryleigh, Link stood there and chatted with him for a minute or two while Ryleigh gathered up her things and said goodbye to Hannah.

“How was your day today?” Link asked the teacher, a bashful smile that he was unable to keep at bay making its way onto his face.

Rhett smiled back, a warmth to his gaze that made Link want to blush. Link cursed himself for feeling so flustered. “Really good, thanks. The kiddos really seemed to have a good time today. We focused mainly on learning to spell and read the names of colors.” 

“Aaaah, yes. Good old colors,” Link chuckled, before trying to quiz himself on kindergarten-level color theory. “Blue, green, purple… What else?”

“Fuschia, mauve, periwinkle…” Rhett continued playfully. 

Link’s expression turned to one of shock and awe. “You’re teaching kindergarteners colors at that level?” he questioned.

Rhett chuckled loudly. “No, no, no. God, no. Could you imagine? I mean, maybe I should. I’ll start an undercover operation with the only goal being to teach the next generation of interior designers… There’s an idea...”

Link blushed, embarrassed at himself for being so gullible. Rhett seemed to get a kick out of it, though, so that was a plus, at least. 

After a brief pause, Rhett returned the question. “How about you? How was work?”

Link rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Not nearly as interesting as your day. Just drawing up some construction plans. I’m not even really sure for what, to be honest.” He couldn’t help but laugh softly at his last comment, and neither could Rhett.

“Hell, I teach kindergarteners and I’ve been there. Even I get confused,” he said, nudging Link playfully. 

Link giggled and retorted with a simple, “Bullshit.” He immediately clapped his hand over his mouth, eyes wide. He couldn’t believe he just let that slip out, after everything they’d been struggling with Ryleigh over. Luckily, though, Rhett didn’t seem too concerned.

“Charles, do I need to send you to the principal’s office, too?” he asked with a wink.

Before Link could blush too deeply, Ryleigh was at the door, ready to go. “Hi, Daddy!” she beamed. After they both waved goodbye to Rhett, he took his daughter’s hand and walked out of the classroom as she skipped. As they walked away, Rhett couldn’t help but smile wider. Sure, Link still looked absolutely exhausted, but seeing him in such a good mood only served to brighten Rhett’s own day.

“Your face is all red,” Ryleigh noted curiously.

 "So, how was your day today, sweetie?" Link asked, ignoring her statement. Link decided to give Ryleigh the chance to tell him about her visit to the principal's office before bringing it up himself.

"My day was good, Daddy!" Ryleigh exclaimed, craning her neck to beam up at him. "Hannah and me had lots of fun!"

Link nodded and smiled back down at her. "That's great, honey. Was there anything else that happened?"

"Oh..." Ryleigh began, frowning slightly. "I saw Mr. Jason today. But it's okay, Daddy! I'm not in trouble! We just talked!"

"Okay, and what did Mr. Jason say, baby?"

"Mr. Jason said that it's  **hard** to be in kindergarten. Just like I think, Daddy! And I can visit his office whenever I wanna yell or curse or hit!" Then, Ryleigh lowered her voice. "Whenever I feel like Mommy."

Concern flashed across Link's face, much like it did  _ whenever  _ Ryleigh mentioned Caroline outside of their home. "Did you say that to Mr. Jason, honey?" Link asked, looking down at her as he tried to keep his voice steady.

Ryleigh shook her head, understanding, if only vaguely, that Link was worried. Even if she didn't know why. Maybe it was because they had run away from her. Patting his arm, she assured, "No, Daddy."

"Good," he said and let out the breath that he was holding in his chest.

As they exited the school and walked away from it, Link took a different turn than he normally would, one that didn't lead to the bus stop.

"Where are we going, Daddy?" Ryleigh asked inquisitively, peering up at him with her big blue eyes.

Link hummed, shaking his head. "Another surprise, baby. But I promise you'll like this one." At least more than she'd liked the last.

Link knew that there was an ice cream shop a few minutes away from Ryleigh's school, and wanted to get her something. He knew he probably shouldn't, that he should scold or even punish her for misbehaving in school  **again** . But he couldn't help it. He was having a rough time, but she was, too. She deserved a treat, and if he was wrong for thinking that, then he was wrong. But either way, she was going to get it.

When they finally arrived at the shop, someplace called Nonnino's (which, frankly, Link thought was a semi-odd name), Ryleigh's eyes widened. "Ice cream?!" she exclaimed, beginning to bounce up and down. She had learned to read some of her favorite words last month, and of course, "ice cream" was among the first that she had learned. "We're getting ice cream, Daddy?!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Link exclaimed, holding the door open for his girl. She excitedly hopped on in.

Once inside, Ryleigh immediately let go of Link's hand and raced off to the counter without so much as waiting for Link to enter.

Link simply let her, stepping in and chuckling to himself as he followed her over to the counter.

He found her standing on her toes, trying to peer into the glass to see the flavors that the shop carried, but she came up short (no pun intended) and practically whined to her father about how she "can't see, Daddy!"

Link laughed and shook his head, bending down to lift Ryleigh and settle her on his hip so that she had an improved view. "All better, shorty?" he teased, a smirk crossing his lips.

"Yes, Daddy. Thank you!" she exclaimed, ignoring his comment on her stature in favor of examining the flavors of ice cream.

There were just so many of them! Not only were there the standard flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, but also chocolate chip cookie dough, rocky road, something called "going absolutely bananas"... The list went on and on, and with each flavor that Ryleigh saw, the name was crazier than the last. How was she supposed to choose?!

While she was looking, Link read the menu, mostly scanning it for prices, trying to figure out how to get the ice cream for as cheap as possible, because his first check didn't come in until Friday and he was going to be flat broke starting Thursday if he wasn't already considered such. He needed to preserve as much money as possible, especially considering the fact that Ryleigh would force him to get something for himself. Oh well. It was still food regardless of whether or not it was junk, and Link hadn't eaten since Saturday. If he didn't think about it, he wouldn't notice how he was constantly lightheaded.

"I want that one, Daddy!" Ryleigh shouted, pointing to a brightly colored pink and purple ice cream. When Link read the tag beneath it, he saw that it read "Unicorn Sprinkle". Right up Ryleigh's alley. "What are you gonna get?!"

Link thought it over for a minute, deciding on his favorite, the ever-classic chocolate chip cookie dough. He hadn't had it in weeks.

* * *

 

**_Monday, October 9th, 2017 at 10:12 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina_ **

* * *

 

_ Hunter smiled, chuckling as Caroline sprung off the bed with a certain look in her eye that she only got when she had a great idea. _

_ "I'll be right back, Hunter. You wait right there and  _ **_don't move_ ** _!" she exclaimed. God, she looked beautiful. _

_ Hunter nodded at the instruction and held up his hands, palms toward her, doing what he was told purely because he wanted to. This time, it wasn't out of fear. Nothing had been today. "Promise." _

_ Caroline nodded back at him and grinned before racing out of the room, running as quietly as she could down the hallway and trying not to sound like a herd of elephants stampeding as she descended the stairs. The last thing she wanted was to wake Ryleigh. _

_ Shaking his head at his girlfriend's excitement, Hunter picked up his phone and scrolled through Instagram as he awaited her return. _

_ Soon, she did come back, but this time, she was carrying a dinner tray filled with plates, bowls, glasses, and cutlery. "I'm baaaaack," she singsonged, walking over to the bed again and handing the tray over to her boyfriend before crawling into the bed and under the blanket once more. _

_ "Oooh, what'd you bring us, Car?" Hunter asked, eyeing the food and drink. _

_ "Birthday cake and your favorite ice cream!" she grinned, picking up a spoon and a fork in each hand and holding them out to him. "Have at it." _

_ Hunter rolled his eyes and accepted the cutlery, leaning over to kiss her gently. "You know me so well." _

* * *

 

**Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 6:37 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link shook his head as if that would make the memory go away, then nodded to the employee and requested that they get one scoop each of their respective choices in a waffle cone. 

Ryleigh and Link watched as the employee put their ice creams together and then rang them up.

"That'll be $7.17, Dad," the employee, a teen girl with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, and a lip ring said, and Link pulled a ten and a quarter from his wallet.

Once they had Link's three dollars and eight cents in change and their cones, Link and Ryleigh went outside to sit on the bench on the sidewalk to eat their treats as they watched the sunset.

"Happy?" Link asked, wrapping his arm around his daughter and pulling her closer. "Got your special unicorn ice cream with extra sprinkles?"

"Yeah, Daddy!" Ryleigh grinned and stood up so that she could reach Link's face and kiss him on the cheek. Her face scrunched up at the tickle that her father's growing beard gave her lips. She patted his cheek, rubbing the hair with a laugh. “You’re all pokey.”

“I know, baby. Sorry ‘bout that,” he laughed.

“It’s okay. You look fancy like a king. Not like a prince. Princes don’t have hairy chins,” she explained.

Link couldn’t help but chuckle at her explanation. “I’d rather be a king than a prince, anyway,” he teased, before continuing, “Hurry up and eat your ice cream, sweetheart. It’s gonna melt.” 

She plopped back down, this time in his lap instead, and said, "Thank you for the ice cream, Daddy. It's really pretty!"

"Anytime, sugar."


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our betas for this chapter, afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark! :)

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 8:01 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link hurried Ryleigh into the classroom, frazzled as could be as he tried his best to make sure she arrived at school on time, and himself to work on time. He knew he had time to spare, knew that there was an hour before he had to be at his desk working on some asinine building plan. He had gotten there early every day since he had started, and knew he had a few minutes to spare before he absolutely needed to leave. But even still, he liked to be early if he could help it. 

“Hi, hi,” he greeted, ushering his daughter through the door. “Sorry we’re late. Somebody, not gonna name any names, had trouble getting out of bed this morning. I didn’t have time to get her breakfast and—”

“It’s all right, Charles. You’re just on time, and there’s plenty of breakfast here,” Rhett chuckled. He smiled down at Ryleigh, whose hair was barely brushed and her clothes wrinkled to high Heaven. “Hello, Miss Ryleigh. Happy Halloween!” 

“Happy Halloween,” Ryleigh said softly in response, offering Mr. Rhett her best smile. She still wasn’t fully awake. 

Looking up to notice Rhett, and by extension, his attire, Link chuckled. Rhett was wearing not only tan khaki pants and a multi-shaded green striped shirt, but was holding in his hand what appeared to be a notebook that Link knew all too well: the Handy Dandy Notebook. “Well, good morning to you too, Steve Burns,” he laughed a real, hearty laugh and winked at the teacher.

“I always dress up for Halloween. The kiddos like it,” Rhett explained with a smirk. 

“Alrighty then,” Link answered, before turning his attention back to his daughter. He clapped his hands together and then knelt down so that he was at her level. “Bye-bye, Ry. I’ll see you after work. Mr. Rhett is gonna take you to his house after your after school program. Is that okay with you?” 

Ryleigh gasped, the remnants of sleep quickly being replaced with excitement. “Yeah!” she exclaimed, her smile as wide as the Great Plains. “I get to ride in Mr. Rhett’s car?!” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Link answered with a small laugh. “Daddy will meet you at Mr. Rhett’s house after he’s done at work, and then we’ll all go trick-or-treating. Sound good?”

Ryleigh nodded enthusiastically, excited for another adventure to Mr. Rhett’s house. Link stood back up, but before he could turn to leave, she wrapped her arms around his right leg and squeezed, giving him a pseudo-hug. “Bye, Daddy! See ya later, alligator!” 

“In a while, crocodile,” Link responded in kind before ruffling her hair. And with that, he was gone.

“You look like Steve from Blue’s Clues, Mr. Rhett!” Ryleigh noted.

“I sure do! Do you like Blue’s Clues, Ryleigh?” Rhett asked with a smile.

Ryleigh nodded her head vigorously. “It’s my favorite!” 

Rhett gently patted Ryleigh on the head and asked, “Is it now?” He then continued, “Well, then, you’re going to have a lot of fun today.” 

Of course, with Rhett being Rhett, he had planned his entire day of lessons so that they were like episodes of the show. Most of the school’s usual academic activities went into hibernation for Halloween. Teachers more or less just let their kids let loose, eat candy, and have fun. Rhett didn’t want to let his kiddos have free reign all day, so he thought turning their learning into a fun game (or, at least more of a game than he normally made things), would be a great compromise. He was confident that the kids would be ecstatic. 

“Is Hannah here yet, Mr. Rhett?” Ryleigh asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation of seeing her friend.

“Yep. She’s right over there, kiddo,” Rhett said and pointed to the breakfast table where Hannah was eating. “Why don’t we go over there and I’ll set up your breakfast so you can join her?”

“Yes, please, sir!” Ryleigh smiled, skipping over to the table with Rhett following behind her.

Sitting down in a brightly colored red chair that was just her size, Ryleigh waited patiently as Rhett opened her bag of pancakes and a carton of orange juice. When he was finished, she smiled up at him and thanked him politely. 

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Rhett acknowledged, then picked up his Handy Dandy Notebook and walked away to attend to other matters. 

Figuring that this was close enough to a dinner table, seeing as it was, this time, an actual table, Ryleigh folded her hands and bowed her head to pray.

"Thank you Lord for my meal," she began. "I love yummy pancakes and I am blessed to receive them this morning. Thank you very much. Amen."

Once Ryleigh was done with her prayer and began eating, she started noticing the other kids in the room. More specifically, she noticed what they were wearing. Cody was Spiderman. Sarah was Ariel. Candace was a unicorn. Her best friend Hannah was Cinderella. The more she looked around, the clearer it became to Ryleigh that she was the only one not wearing a costume, and her face dropped. Her Daddy had told her she’d get one at school, but all the other kids already had theirs! Was he wrong? Ryleigh couldn’t help but start to panic, but she kept it to herself. She didn’t want to draw any attention to herself and the fact that she was, in fact, costumeless. Instead, she just pouted slightly and began to eat her pancakes without a word.

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 8:34 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

“Ryleigh, can I see you for a moment?” Rhett asked, calling to the girl from his desk as he stood from his chair. “In the hallway for just a second, sweetheart,” he added, bending down to grab a bag from underneath his desk and coming back up only to begin walking out of the room. “Everybody behave! I’ll be right back!” he called to the rest of his students, and then took the lead out into the hallway. Thankfully, Ryleigh followed him. 

“Am I in trouble again, Mr. Rhett?” Ryleigh asked, her eyes wide as she looked up at her teacher with a mix of curiosity and nerves on her face. She hadn’t done anything wrong, or at least she didn’t think she had, so why was she being called out into the hall? Was it because she didn’t have her costume like she was supposed to?

“No, no, honey. You’re not in trouble,” Rhett assured. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about the Halloween parade.” 

Ryleigh frowned at this, not quite sure why Mr. Rhett was pulling her out into the hallway and away from her friend to rub in her face the fact that she couldn’t participate in the festivities. “But, Mr. Rhett, I can’t go to the Halloween parade. Daddy was wrong. He didn’t buy me a costume! He said I’d get one at school, but everyone else has theirs on already...” Her brows furrowed as she grew increasingly upset.

“That’s where you’re wrong, kiddo,” Rhett said and showed her the bag, reaching in and pulling out another, smaller bag, this one printed with the words “Party City” and “Alice in Wonderland.” It was a costume. Ryleigh’s costume. “I’ve got your costume right here!”

Ryleigh gasped and grabbed it while Mr. Rhett still had hold, examining the bag. Upon seeing the picture on the front, she squeaked.

“Alice!” she exclaimed, looking up at her teacher and beaming. “Thank you, Mr. Rhett!” She went around the costume bag so that she could give him the biggest hug that her tiny five year-old self could manage. “It’s just what I wanted!” 

“You’re welcome, kiddo,” Rhett laughed and leaned down to rub her back in a return pseudo-hug. “Why don’t you go to the bathroom and put it on?” 

“Okay!” Ryleigh grinned, nodding in approval of Mr. Rhett’s plan before darting back into the classroom with her bag to do as she was instructed.

Before stopping to tell her best friend that she finally got her costume, she ran straight to the in-room lavatory and changed out of her normal clothes and into her costume. She put her regular clothes into the bag that the costume came from and then joined Hannah back at their table. 

“You got a costume!” Hannah cheered, happy that her best friend wasn’t being left out.

“Mr. Rhett got it for me!” Ryleigh beamed. 

“I love Alice! She’s so pretty, just like you!” Hannah exclaimed. 

“Cinderella, too!” Ryleigh agreed, returning her friend’s compliment. “I love love love Cinderella.”

* * *

 

Not long after Ryleigh was changed, Rhett went around the room helping kids with the finishing touches on their costumes, fixing masks and adjusting hats. Once everyone was ready, Rhett announced, “Okay, everyone!” Grab your chair and line up with me by the door!” 

Ryleigh, of course, lined up right behind Hannah. The two girls were bouncing with excitement, eager to experience the parade. As they were waiting for Rhett to begin to lead them out into the hallway, Hannah began to explain how much fun the parade and trick-or-treating with Mr. Rhett was. Ryleigh’s excitement just kept growing exponentially as the conversation continued. 

Finally, it was time. Rhett opened the door and, with a line of little ones trailing behind him, he lead the march through the hallways, out towards the blacktop on the playground. The closer they got, Ryleigh began to hear music blaring. She’d never heard the song before, but Hannah informed her that it was called the Monster Mash. As they finally stepped out onto the playground, Ryleigh saw the entire school placing chairs in a large circle, class by class. Rhett lead them to their place next to the other kindergarten class. Ryleigh and Hannah, of course, placed their chairs next to one another.

Soon enough, the entire school was settled, and the music came to a stop. All eyes went immediately to the speaker that the music had just been coming from a moment before. Mr. Jason was standing there with a microphone. “Welcome to our annual Halloween parade, Suncrest family!” he announced with a smile. All the students erupted in cheers, prompted by their respective teachers. 

The principal explained the logistics of the event before then turning the music back on. Grade by grade, the students walked single file around the interior of the circle formed by the chairs, showing off their costumes and getting cheered on by the rest of the school. As each class walked by, Jason would announce whose class was going next. The pre-k students went first, but next were the kindergarteners. Mr. Rhett’s class followed behind the other class. Ryleigh trailed behind Hannah as they walked the circumference of the route. She couldn’t help but blush at all the cheers directed toward her class. She’d never felt more like a princess, and couldn’t wait to tell her Daddy all about it. Once her and Hannah were seated again, they watched the first, then second, then third grade classes all repeat what they’d just done themselves. 

When the fourth grade classes stood up and began to walk, Hannah got really excited when Jason announced Mr. Champion’s class. As one of the teachers, whom Ryleigh didn’t recognize, walked past, Hannah began to cheer extra loud. 

“HI, DADDY!” she yelled out. The teacher turned and beamed at her, waving both hands happily before continuing on. 

“Your daddy is a teacher?” Ryleigh asked, amazed. 

Hannah smiled proudly and nodded in confirmation. “Yeah! He teaches fourth graders, so he’s  _ really _ smart.”

Once all the classes had participated, the teachers once again led their students single-file back to their respective classrooms. Rhett put out a bowl of snacks and began his “lesson” for the day, essentially consisting of a Blue’s Clues themed scavenger hunt.

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 4:40 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

The after-school program was cut short for the day in light of the holiday, and after Rhett finished up a couple of things, he led Hannah and Ryleigh out to his car.

Of course, due to the fact that he sometimes drove students home to make things easier on parents, he had two spare booster seats in the car that he had taken into work that morning, and set them up in the back for the girls.

Hannah could have been taken to Rhett's house by her own father, but they both figured that it would be more fun for the girls to ride over together. So, off they went.

The girls chatted in the backseat the entire way, and Rhett listened on intently in the case that Ryleigh let something about her old life let slip to her "bestest friend". No such luck. Instead, they blabbered on about the lessons that day, their toys (or in Ryleigh's case, lack of toys) at home, and their favorite shows and movies as well as how excited they were for tonight. Hannah especially made the point that she was going to be happy to see Ryleigh experience  _ real _ trick or treating and the party at Mr. Rhett's house that happened afterward.

It was a long drive from the school to Mr. Rhett's home, but the time seemed to fly by for Ryleigh and Hannah, and for Rhett, who had music to keep him company in the front seat.

Upon reaching their destination, the girls hopped out of their seats after a little help from their teacher in the unbuckling department and raced to the door, anxiously awaiting its unlocking.

Once inside, Rhett asked, “Why don’t you girls go put your things in Hannah’s room so they’re out of the way for the party?” They excitedly obliged, running with their backpacks in their hands to Hannah’s room.

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 5:26 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

When the girls returned from Hannah’s room, after having gotten distracted by some of the toys she had at Rhett’s, they found that Mr. Rhett was no longer the only adult in the home. In addition to parents that had come with their children, there were a few teachers from Suncrest, as well as Ryleigh’s own dad, who was back from work!

“Hi, Daddy!” the girls called out to their respective fathers upon sight, running up to them for hugs. 

“Daddy, do you like my costume? Can you take a picture of us?” Ryleigh asked Link, jumping up and down in excitement at her father getting his first look at her outfit. 

“A pink-haired Alice in Wonderland… Hm... My favorite kind!” Link exclaimed, smiling down at her before deflating. “And I’m sorry, baby. I’d love to, but Daddy doesn’t have a camera…”

But, like some kind of Kodak-moment superhero, Rhett swooped in. “I’ll take your photo. Just stand over by… that wall!”

“Yay!” Ryleigh cheered, taking her father’s hand and pulling him over to where they had been directed, standing beside him happily. 

Link squatted down beside Ryleigh, pulling her close to him. 

“One…” Rhett called, getting his camera ready. “Two…”

Just before Rhett could snap the picture, Ryleigh smiled as widely as she could and Link did bunny ears behind Ryleigh’s head and winked at Rhett. 

“Three!”

“Mr. Rhett!” Ryleigh called. “You too! I want a picture with you too!” 

Rhett shot a goofy smile at Link and walked over to hand him his phone and show him how to use the camera. “Switch places.”

After the photo was taken (as well as a third photo with Hannah) and Ryleigh was pleased, she noticed how rude she had been, how she had forgotten her manners. Hannah’s father was standing right there and she had forgotten to greet him!

“Hi, Mr. Champion!” Ryleigh greeted happily, knowing Hannah’s dad’s name from the parade. “My name is Ryleigh. I’m Hannah’s bestest friend!” 

“Is that right?” Drew asked with a chuckle, sharing a look with Ryleigh’s father over her head. "It's very nice to meet you, Ryleigh. Have you had a chance to say hello to the rest of the teachers that you see here right now?"

"Some," she hummed. "Like Mr. Colin." He had introduced himself as just plain old "Colin", but she figured it was polite to use the "Mr." title. "But nobody else," she finished, considering that Mr. Morgan was nowhere to be seen or heard of.

"Well, why don't you go around and say hello, sweetie?" he asked, crouching down and beckoning her to him so that he could speak to her on her level. "They're all very nice, I promise. I love your costume, by the way! It's very pretty."

"Thank you, sir," Ryleigh whispered back with an excited smile before skipping off to greet the other people in the room by introducing herself to everybody and hoping that they responded in a way that identified them as a teacher.

Ultimately, she met Miss Lizzie, a blonde woman with a very pretty floral blouse, Miss Daniela, a lady with a cool cartoon character figurine on her keyring, and Mr. Eddie, a blond man with tattoos all up and down his arms. She also saw some teachers she had already met like Mr. John, who had shoes with  **wheels** on them. Every single one of them was bewildered by the fact that she was so polite, calling them "sir" and "ma'am" and saying how nice it was to "make their 'quaintance".

The teachers shared looks over her head with Rhett and Ryleigh's father for the moments in which the girl was still present, but when she had gone off to play in the den with Hannah, they vocalized their amazement.

"I've never, not once in my life, had a student call me sir?" Eddie said, and it was more a question than anything. That question, of course, was, ‘What the fuck planet did this kid arrive on a spaceship from and are there any more of her?’

"Yeah, she's super polite," Colin chimed in, directing his gaze to Link. "You're doing a good job, Charles."

"Thank you," Link said in a smaller voice than he would have liked. "Don't hear that a lot."

"Well you should!" Lizzie exclaimed, smiling at him. "She's a very well-mannered girl. I'm sorry, though. I know Colin just said it, but I didn’t catch your name?"

"Charles," he said and held out his hand. "Charles Neal."

"Lizzie Bassett," she said and shook his hand. "I teach second grade. Looks like you know Colin, but that's Eddie," she said and gestured to him, "He teaches fourth. Then there's Daniela. Dani teaches the other kindergarten class. Chase, who teaches first, should be arriving any minute now."

"Nice to meet you all," Link said and waved. "And nice costumes. If this was a contest, I certainly couldn't pick a winner," he chuckled.

"Well," Rhett said and clapped his hands together. He didn't notice the way that Link jumped at the action. "Kiddos, you can feel free to join Hannah and Ryleigh in the den with your parents. We'll be in the kitchen if you need anything!"

And with that, the children and their adult chaperones dispersed into the den, and Link and the teachers went their separate ways to the kitchen.

"Anybody hungry?" Rhett asked. "Snacks on the counters and table are off limits. Those are for tonight. But anything in the fridge, freezer, or cabinets is open game."

A couple of teachers took Rhett up on his offer, but when Link didn't, Rhett pulled him aside and into the informal dining room. The sounds of the festivities starting up were muffled now, and Link couldn’t help but feel as if he was in trouble.

"Charles," Rhett began, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. "I think by this point that I could hear your stomach rumbling from the Deep South. Your cheeks are practically hollow and your clothes are far looser than when I met you. When's the last time you've eaten?"

"Yesterday, after I picked Ryleigh up from school. We got ice cream. One scoop, chocolate chip cookie dough," Link explained, hoping that the more detail he gave, the less that Rhett would be on his case.

"And before that?" Rhett continued to question, squinting suspiciously. He had a feeling that it had been a while.

Link looked at the floor, unable to meet Rhett's gaze, and watched his feet shift on the floor. "Saturday, when we had Mickey D's," Link almost whispered, unable to speak any louder. If he did, he just might cry. He was so hungry. Starving, essentially. He wasn't used to not eating like this. But, of course, he had to stretch the food supply. For Ryleigh.

Rhett's eyes widened as his answer, but he fought it back, trying hard not to show his shock in fear that it might upset Link.

"You need to eat more often than that," Rhett explained, almost as if it was something that Link didn't know for himself. "Charles, you can't do this to yourself. Why haven't you been eating?"

"I'm just under a lot of stress," Link answered, and it was the honest to God truth. He was under a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, and it affected his appetite. But that was only to a point, and with the way that he hadn't been eating despite his body's natural cues, it was becoming a problem. But it wasn't the whole truth, and Rhett knew it damn well.

"Why else?" Rhett asked, and there was a hardness in his voice, a sternness. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

Link wasn't looking at Rhett, but he was sure that if he was, he'd start shaking. He'd heard that voice so many times before. Too many times before. 

Taking a preventative step back, a  _ protective  _ step back, Link answered his question for fear that if he didn't, he'd see another side of Rhett that he hadn't before. His brain failed to remind him of all the people around as witnesses.

"I just don't have a lot of money right now," Link confessed. "Moving expenses and all that. We're stretched a bit thin," also known as the understatement of the century, "And Ryleigh needs the food more than I do. So, that's what I do. I save it for my daughter."

Rhett's face softened at that, almost dropping at the confession. "Charles..." he said and his voice was dripping with sympathy. "You shouldn't have to starve yourself so that your daughter can eat. And it's not like she doesn't eat, man. The school provides three meals a day to kids who are in the afterschool program. So you can have dinner without guilt."

"But what about the weekends and school holidays... Oh God, Rhett. The school holidays. I can't take off work for those and... and..."

Grabbing a hold of Link's shoulders (and keeping him still through his flinching), Rhett assured, "Charles. Take a deep breath. Everything's going to be okay."

Rhett could see that Link was about to spiral into a panic attack. He wanted to keep him grounded—to keep him present. "Breathe with me. Everything's going to be okay.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to afangirlsplaylist, chibitabathasloves, good-mythical-maddi, and ssodangdark for betaing this chapter! We love y'all!

Rhett took deep breaths to demonstrate what he wanted Link to do, his chest rising and falling slowly as his lungs filled with and were deflated of air in time with a rhythm that he set in his own head.

"Just like this," Rhett said softly, making sure that Link maintained eye contact with him in the hopes that it would keep him here in the real world with Rhett. Where he belonged. "Just take it slow, Charles."

"Link. My name is Link," the man let out as he tried not to vomit all over Rhett's shoes. "I told you my name was Charles because it seemed like a fancy thing to do and the school is fancy and I wanted to fit in and I— My name is Charles Lincoln Neal, but—"

"Okay. Link," Rhett corrected, reaching up to stroke Link's hair, and when Link recoiled at his touch, he wondered what he'd done wrong. Rhett couldn’t help but sigh slightly, trying his best to hide it. Based on the injuries he’d noted the other day, Rhett’s suspicions about the man’s home life being less than safe only heightened. "You prefer Link? Then Link it is. Just breathe, Link." He could address the fact that Link felt the need to try to "fit in" with the "rich and fancy" parents and faculty later, but for now, he needed to calm the hell down before he passed out.

Link started to take in shaky breaths, attempting to follow Rhett's lead, but he'd be lying if he said it wasn't difficult. He was worried about too many things. Feeding and clothing his daughter. Having childcare for the days she was out of school. Somebody walking in only to find that he was absolutely crazy, so crazy that he needed to be placed in a straitjacket and locked away in a padded room because who would have a panic attack over  _ this? _

Everything started to close in on him, to go black, and he didn't notice himself starting to sway. That's when Rhett sat him down in a chair.

"I'm going to go get you some water, okay?" Rhett asked softly.

Link grabbed onto his wrist, tighter than he wanted to, and pleaded, "Stay with me."

Rhett nodded, realizing that what Link needed at the moment was somebody to be there.

Crouching down in front of Link's chair, Rhett reached out and took hold of Link's hands out of fear of the fact that he might hurt himself, but also in order to give him some comfort. "Just breathe. Just like that. Keep doing what you're doing."

Link followed instructions surprisingly well and, with the effort of trying his best, eventually regulated his breathing and calmed down. It was only then that he realized how tightly he was holding onto Rhett's hands.

"S-Sorry," Link apologized quietly, pulling his hands away from the teacher's.

"There's no need to apologize, Link," Rhett assured, giving him a gentle smile. "Now, how about that water?"

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 6:07 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

It wasn't much longer before everybody who was going to be going trick or treating arrived at Rhett's door, all in their respective costumes and carrying varying levels of excitement in themselves.

The first thing that Rhett had them do was line up with their respective teachers who were waiting in different places in the front yard, the place that traffic had been directed to. Then, he did a roll call that was organized by class. Of course, with Rhett being Rhett, he had put together attendance sheets to keep track of everybody present. Despite an excess of faculty and parental chaperones, it was better to be safe rather than sorry.

He ran through it as quickly as possible while still being effective, wanting the kiddos to have as much time as they could to collect candy. After all, they were on a tight schedule.

After that, he had everybody pick a buddy within their class as an extra safety measure. Naturally, Hannah and Ryleigh chose each other.

"Want to be my buddy?" Rhett whispered to Link, holding out his hand as all of the children had done to each other.

"Sure," Link whispered back and smiled, but failed to take Rhett's hand. If he did, he just might blush.

With that, they were almost ready to trick or treat. "All right, kiddos," Rhett shouted so that everybody could hear him. If there was one person on Earth who didn't need a megaphone for hundreds of school-aged children, their parents, and their teachers to hear him loud and clear, it was Mr. Rhett James McLaughlin. "Listen up!"

Once he had everybody's attention, Rhett continued, "For my kindergarten and preschool parents. What we do is go around my neighborhood. It's very small, but the people around here are not stingy with the candy. You'll basically get the same amount that you would going around a larger neighborhood but in half the time. After that, if you want to take your child home, be my guest, but for those who choose to stay, we'll be having a party from the time we get back until about 9:45. Sound good?" he asked nobody in particular, not expecting much more of a response than a sea of nods. But what he did get was a sea of children cheering. That was a good enough response for him.

"Hear that, Ryleigh?!" Hannah asked excitedly. "A party! Do you think your Daddy will let you go?!

"I hope so!" Ryleigh exclaimed, smiling. "A party sounds like lotsa fun!"

"Yeah!" Hannah cheered, starting to walk as the group filed out to begin trick or treating.

Hannah held tightly to Ryleigh's hand, making sure that she didn't get lost in the large crowd of people. Ryleigh wasn't even sure she'd seen that many people in her life, period, never mind all at once.

"Okay!" the brunette girl practically shouted, looking over at Ryleigh and beaming. "We're gonna get  _ tons  _ of candy, Ry!"

"At strangers houses?" Ryleigh asked tentatively. "I usu'y only trick-or-treat at my Nana and Pop Pop's house," she explained, looking a tad nervous at the prospect of knocking on strangers doors for treats.

"Yeah!" Hannah grinned, but upon seeing Ryleigh's discomfort, she turned it into a frown. "It's okay, Ryleigh. That's what you're s'posed to do!"

Ryleigh still looked unsure, so Hannah grumbled to herself and then called out, "Mr. Ryleigh's Daddy! Mr. Ryleigh's Daddy!" seeming determined to prove her point through any means necessary.

Hearing the sound, Link guessed it was from Hannah and luckily, he was right. Walking over to join them, he asked, "Yes, Hannah?"

"Mr. Ryleigh's Daddy, we go to strangers houses for candy, right? Ryleigh is scared!"

Link thought for a moment, then looked down at his daughter and said, "Ry Ry, you don't have to be scared. Daddy will be right here, and Hannah, too! She'll show you how to do it."

Hannah nodded and reached over to single-handedly hug Ryleigh, the other hand holding her trick-or-treating bag—a bag that matched her dress. "I'll help you, Ryleigh," she promised.

"But isn't talking to strangers bad?" Ryleigh asked her father, looking up at him anxiously.

"Not on Halloween when you have an adult with you. Daddy will check all of the candy you get, too, to make sure it's safe. You don't have to worry, princess."

"Okay..." Ryleigh finally accepted, deciding to trust her father. After all, he had never let her down before. "I'll do it."

"Good!" Link exclaimed, leaning down to kiss the top of Ryleigh's head before telling her, "I'll be right back there with Mr. Rhett if you need me, my love." Then, he was gone, disappeared back to his daughter's teacher.

"So, where were we?" Link asked when he was back next to Rhett, flashing a small smile.

"Is everything okay up there?" Rhett asked, nerves apparent in his voice as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Link assured. "Ryleigh was just a bit apprehensive about knocking on strangers doors for candy. She typically only 'trick-or-treats' at my parents' house."

"Ah," Rhett said and nodded in understanding. "We were talking about favorite candies. You were just about to tell me yours."

Link nodded, thankful that Rhett had jogged his memory. Without help, he probably would have never remembered, too consumed with other thoughts to have room for anything else in his head.

"Mine is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups," Link confessed. "I love peanut butter." And he was damn glad to be able to eat it again now that he and Ryleigh were away from Caroline. But of course, he couldn't help but wonder how she was handling not being able to see Ryleigh in her costume, not being able to dress up as a family like they usually did.

* * *

 

**_Monday, October 31st, 2016 at 6:38 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina_ **

* * *

 

_ "All right, let me see my girls," Hunter called and had his camera handy on video record so that he could capture Caroline and Ryleigh exiting the bedroom. "Don't be shy, now." _

_ The bedroom door cracked open, and the two loves of Hunter's life exited the master bedroom in their full glory, walking down the hallway toward him with smiles on their faces. Even if Caroline's was forced. _

_ Caroline held Ryleigh's hand so that she wouldn't run toward Hunter. She'd always been a Daddy's Girl, and that was just fine, but Hunter liked to get good shots. _

_ They were dressed this time in Toy Story costumes. Hunter was Woody, Caroline was his cowgirl companion Jessie, and Ryleigh was Little Bo Peep. They just thought it was too bad that Woody and Jessie hadn't procreated so they could all be one family. _

_ "Here we are, Daddy!" Ryleigh exclaimed and tugged on her mother's hand in an attempt to get her to move closer to her father. _

_ "Yep, all gussied up," Caroline smiled, helping Ryleigh do a little twirl for the camera. "Good thing we've got a place to go and flaunt it, hm?" _

_ "Yeah, good thing," Hunter grinned, though his mind was really somewhere else. He was just glad that Caroline was coming with them despite her current state. That way, he wouldn't have to worry about her making it through the night. _

_ "Daddy should be in the video! Take the phone, Mommy!" Ryleigh exclaimed excitedly, tugging on her hand some more. They still hadn't moved an inch that Caroline hadn't wanted them to since the last time she had pulled. _

_ "Okay, darlin'," Caroline said and sauntered over to Hunter in her cowgirl boots, taking the camera and backing away to get a good shot of her boyfriend. _

_ "Do a little turn for the people, Woody," she giggled. She'd gotten really good at putting on her own little show for the sake of the sanctity of holidays and Ryleigh's happiness. "Show me the back of that sheriff's outfit." _

_ "Shh," Hunter laughed, rolling his eyes. "You be quiet. You just want to see my butt." _

_ "Maybe!" _

_ "C'mon, we better get moving or else we'll be late to my parents' place." _

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 6:27 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

"Earth to Link," Rhett said and waved his hand in front of Link's face. "You okay there, man?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

"Yeah," Link said and shook his head out, blinking rapidly to keep back the tears that threatened to spill out onto his face. "Sorry. So, anyway. Peanut butter cups. Love them. How 'bout you?"

Laughing before he could even answer, Rhett said, “You’re not gonna like my answer…” 

“Like your answer? Just tell me. I won’t judge,” Link replied. He couldn’t help but smile.

"I absolutely love black licorice," Rhett explained, and laughed when Link's nose scrunched up in disgust. 

"What? You got a problem with the world's best candy? What happened to not judging me?"

"Well I lied! World's best candy?!" Link asked in bewilderment, unable to keep himself from giggling. "I don't know what planet you come from, but on Earth, the world's best candy is  **not** licorice. And it certainly isn't  **black** licorice. Worst candy ever. I'd rather eat filthy gym socks out of a stew of vomit."

"Thanks for the visual," Rhett scoffed playfully. "Anyway, we're just coming up on the first house. Why don't we see how Ryleigh does? Daddy needs to come to the rescue if necessary, after all, you know."

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 8:20 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

The party was cut in half after the trick or treating, and Rhett took the rest of the kids and their chaperones back to his house for a little party.

After filing into the house, Rhett set about half of the remaining forty or so children up in the informal living room to watch a movie. The rest, he accommodated in the media room to view a second movie. Each of the children had made their choice as to what movie they wanted to watch, and were set up with adults to keep watch over them as well as with Halloween-themed treats to keep their mouths busy and them happy.

Rhett and Link ended up in the informal living room with Hannah and Ryleigh, who had chosen to view Halloweentown over Hocus Pocus.

They stood in the corner of the room against a wall to chat where they wouldn't disturb the kids. First, they talked about their favorite childhood Halloween memories. Then, they traded stories of Halloween disasters. Somehow, though, they ended up in the kitchen and the conversation moved from Halloween and onto discussion of Link, Ryleigh, and their past.

"So, where are you and Ryleigh from originally? I can't believe I haven't asked, but I couldn't help but notice your accents the first day I met you," Rhett said, looking at Link with soft, curious eyes as he organized food onto a plate. Pizza, mozzarella sticks, cookies, eyeball cake pops. Anything to fill Link's stomach. "Here you go. Eat."

Link gulped, looking up at Rhett from his seat at the kitchen island with a nervous expression on his face that he hoped Rhett wouldn't notice. "I don't think… Thank you, but no. That food is for the kids to—"

Rhett shook his head and pushed the plate toward Link, clearly not willing to take "no" for an answer. " _ No _ , Link. It's already on a plate, so nobody else could eat it, anyway. But even if they could, there's plenty more for them. Just take it.” He added a please to soften it a little bit, noticing Link growing uncomfortable. “What would you like to drink with it?"

"Do you have any Sprite?" Link asked quietly, trying to keep his breathing steady. He didn't like taking orders, but he had a feeling that he should obey. He wasn't sure what this guy was capable of, and “nice kindergarten teacher” very well might be an act. He just didn't know, and it was better to be safe rather than sorry. Besides, the guy was just trying to feed him! And he _ knew _ he needed to eat. What was so wrong with that?

"Sprite? Yeah, I do. Ice, no ice?"

"Ice, please," Link requested, and Rhett nodded, retrieving it from the fridge and pouring some into a glass for his guest. "Thanks."

"So, where are you two from?" Rhett asked for a second time, assuming Link had forgotten about his question.

Link shifted his feet nervously out of Rhett's view, and reached back to massage the nape of his neck. "The South, obviously, but I'd rather not get into any specifics."

Link really hoped that Rhett didn't push it. He didn't want to get into it, and it was, frankly, none of Rhett's business no matter how nice he seemed.

Rhett furrowed his brow. “Yeah, I caught the Southern in your voices,” he acknowledged. “I won’t push. I mean, I guess it’s none of my business, after all. But, can you tell me why you don’t want to get into it?” 

Link pushed around the food that Rhett had plated for him, searching for an honest, yet vague enough answer. One that would satisfy the man’s curiosity as well as not giving too much away. He could tell Rhett knew how to spot a liar. “I just…” He sighed. “Ryleigh and I moved out here to start fresh. It was rough, and I don’t feel comfortable talking about it. I don’t wanna get upset or anything,” he said, his mind yelling at him to shut the hell up before he gave too much away.

Rhett’s heart sank at the man’s explanation. “I understand, Link,” he said softly, reaching across the island to put his hand atop Link’s in a show of solidarity. He pulled it back almost immediately after, though, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. “I understand.” And understand he did. He couldn’t talk about his own past without having a breakdown. He was sure of it. “I won’t bring it up again.” After a long pause, he smirked slightly and added, “Your accents are cute, though…” He immediately cringed, regretting his decision to say that instantly. Was it too forward? 

Link fought hard not to blush. Certainly, Rhett had been referring specifically to Ryleigh’s voice and not his, or at least to the accent in general. He had absolutely no idea how to respond, not knowing the man’s intentions, so he simply began to eat. It’s what Rhett wanted, after all. 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 at 9:32 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

As the party for the little ones was winding down, teenagers began to arrive for their party. Former students of Mr. Rhett and students that hadn't even been in his class but still loved him all the same. Students who were coming for the fun or to stay out of trouble on a night when it was easy to get up to mischief, or in some cases, both.

As teens were starting to arrive, Link was getting ready to say goodbye. He was one of the last parents to remain, and was exhausted after a long day and his panic attack, which took more out of him than he would have expected or wanted.

Ryleigh was tired, too, resting her head and practically drooling on Link's shoulder as she fought to stay awake in her father’s arms. So, that was how Link knew it was his cue to bid farewell and get the hell back to the motel.

But before he could say goodbye to Rhett, a young teenage girl with shoulder-length green hair walked up to him with the biggest smile on her face that he'd ever seen.

"Hi, Mr. Rhett!" she greeted enthusiastically. Rhett seemed just as happy to see her as she was to see him, and he appeared genuine to boot.

"Hey, Aspen! How's it going, sweetheart?" Rhett asked, moving in to bend down and give her a hug.

"Good, thanks. How are you?"

"Happier now that you're here, kiddo. Here by yourself?"

As Rhett and this "Aspen" girl talked, Link swayed back and forth to lull Ryleigh to sleep, and to try to keep himself awake.

"Yeah..." Aspen sighed. "The only person I would have brought was Dom, but he never comes to anything."

"That's true. I haven't seen him in years," Rhett responded wistfully, trying not to think too hard about his former student and the good year that they had spent together when he was in his class. Dom had been paramount in helping him to get used to teaching youngsters again after the accident. He was gentle and kind, and concerned for his well-being. Half the time, he would only shower, eat, and perform the usual self-care tasks so he wouldn’t worry Dom. Many,  _ many  _ of his students came to visit his room throughout their elementary days, but the ones that especially loved him continued to visit through middle and high school. Rhett would have to guess that he never had a student who appreciated him more than Dom had. So, the fact that he hadn’t seen Dominic since the day he graduated from elementary school came as a huge surprise. And, if he were being honest, that worried him ever so slightly. Especially considering that he went to the same school as Aspen, so Rhett knew he wasn’t too far away. "One second, Aspen. Just let me say goodbye to a parent," Rhett said, and when Aspen nodded, he turned his attention to Link.

"Come on, I'll walk you out," Rhett said, gesturing to the door that would let them exit the room and eventually enter the foyer.

Once outside, Link saw the fact that they were standing under a dark, starry sky. It really had gotten late. “So, you spend all day at school with your kids, then run the after school program, then take all the elementary school kids trick-or-treating,  _ then _ throw a party for all of them and their parents,  _ and  _ **_then_ ** throw a totally separate party for the teenagers? Only to get up for another long school day tomorrow?” Link asked with a small smile. As tired as he was, he still couldn’t help but feel amazed.

If Rhett were to explain his reasoning to Link, he would have said that it makes getting through the holiday without  _ them _ easier. Having his house filled with smiling faces that kept him busy was easier than sitting in a dark, empty house alone, dwelling on what he was missing out on. Instead of saying that, though, Rhett simply nodded and gave a shorter, yet still truthful response. “Yep. I’m not too involved with this, though. I mostly just give them a place to hang out, eat food, and not get into trouble. It’s somewhere they can come hang out with their friends, away from their parents, but somewhere their parents know they’ll be safe.”

Link smiled again. Rhett sure was something else, opening his house up to everyone like that. “That’s nice.”

"You took the bus here, right?" Rhett asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Link nodded in response. It was the only form of transportation he could afford, after all.

"Well, I don't think the busses are running on the fast track schedule at this time of night, and I'd hate for it to take forever for you to get home. You have a license, right?"

"Yeah, I have a license," Link confirmed. It had his new name on it and everything, but it was just collecting dust in his wallet at the moment.

"Okay, well, how about you take one of my cars?" Rhett offered. "The keys are all on hooks in the garage, and they're labeled. You can take anything you want except for the van. But you need to promise me that you'll drive safe, okay, Link?"

"Okay," Link smiled tiredly, bouncing Ryleigh in his arms in order to shift her higher so that she didn't slip.

When Rhett pointed him in the direction of the garage and handed him the key fob to open it, Link thanked him profusely and then went off to get his daughter home.

After strapping her safely into the backseat of the least expensive-looking car he could find, Link gently kissed Ryleigh on the forehead and got into the driver's seat himself.

He put the radio on low, tuned to the country station of course, just to keep him awake as he made the long drive back to the motel.

On the drive, his thoughts, for once, did not drift back to Caroline and their past life, to what he was missing out on in the present. Instead, they brought him to think about Rhett. How they had a nice night tonight, how he had enjoyed their chats. How he had been so good with the kids. He wondered  _ how  _ he was so good. Some would say it could be chalked up to years of experience as a kindergarten teacher, but Link didn't believe that for a second. There had to be something bigger, deeper, that made Rhett special. And Link? Link wanted to find out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, all! Just a quick heads up, In the Name of Love will be going down to once a week chapters until September 23rd, after which we will cease posting until October 31st in order to give us time to build our backlog back up. Thank you so much for sticking with us! We love and appreciate every last one of you!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to this chapter's betas, a-smut-sundae, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi

 

**Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 at 7:50 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Almost leisurely, Link walked Ryleigh into her kindergarten classroom, a genuine smile on his face for once in his life, one that he tried to hide upon entering the room. The last thing he wanted was for Rhett to see that he was still thinking about the conversation that they’d had the previous night. 

"Good morning, Mr. Rhett!" Ryleigh greeted happily, letting go of her father's hand and running up to her teacher to give him a hug in greeting. "I'm so excited to see you!"

"Hey, Miss Ryleigh," he chuckled, leaning down to return her hug. "I'm excited to see you, too. Why don't you go say hi to Hannah while we wait for the breakfast cart?" he suggested, shooting Link a knowing look as if to say,  _ "See? She's going to be fed regardless of whether you have the money to do it yourself or not." _

"Okay!" Ryleigh squeaked, and it was then that she noticed her best friend playing with toys on the carpet on the corner of the room.

Once Ryleigh was off to greet and play with Hannah, Rhett gave Link a bright smile and greeted him as well. "Good morning, Link."

"Mornin', Mr. Rhett." Link grinned, unable to help it.

"Just 'Rhett' is fine for you. Like you're just 'Link'," Rhett grinned back, lucky that his beard hid the slight pink tint of his cheeks, but unlucky that they rose with his smile. "I hope you didn't have too much of a problem with Ryleigh last night."

"Why would I have any problems with her?" Link quirked an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Ah, you know. Sugar crashes come with second winds sometimes. Was worried she woke up in the middle of the night and caused ya trouble bouncing off the walls."

"Ah, no, thankfully not. Slept through the night like a perfect angel once I got her home... Speaking of..." Link fished around in his pocket and came up with car keys. "Here you are. Thank you so much for letting me borrow it last night."

Rhett looked incredulous, almost as if he was offended that Link wanted to give the car back. "No! You're going to be late for work, man. Just keep it!"

Link thought for a moment before shoving Rhett's keys back in his pocket and nodding his head. "Well... You're probably right. And it is much easier than the bus... Thanks,  _ Rhett _ ."

"No problem,  _ Link _ ," Rhett winked and shooed him off so that he wouldn't be tardy to his place of employment, then walked over to his desk and sat down to watch as Link said goodbye to his daughter and then left the room, walking down the hall and toward the doors. Hopefully, he wouldn't get turned around this late in the year.

* * *

**Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 at 6:03 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Entering Mr. Rhett's class, Link put on his brightest smile in case his daughter was looking, which she was. She was brandishing a large piece of construction paper in her hand, one that looked like she had painted all over it.

"Hi Daddy!" she greeted, beaming up at him and holding out the paper for him to take. "I made this for you!"

"You did?" Link gasped, taking the paper from her hands and looking at the array of colors. The blues, purples, and pinks all splattered about the paper to make the shape of a rather wobbly heart. Written at the top in handwriting that couldn't possibly be Ryleigh's were the words,  _ "For Daddy". _

"Thank you so much, baby girl! This is  **beautiful** !"

"You're welcome, Daddy!" Ryleigh exclaimed as she used her index finger to point out specifics of her finger painting.

"I see that," Link smiled. "Mind if I hug you, sweetie?"

"Sure!"

Link smiled and reached down to pick Ryleigh up, holding her close to his chest and squeezing. "Thank you so much for this. I love it and it's going right on the wall when we get home."

"To your new apartment, you mean?" Rhett asked, seeing his "in" to the conversation.

Link quirked an eyebrow, unsure of how Rhett learned that they'd be moving tonight.

"Ryleigh told me you were moving in today. Did you need any help?"

Link swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. It was a nice offer, but he really didn't need the help. He only had two bags worth of things that they were living out of, and he was embarrassed that they didn't have more. But even if they had more, he wasn't sure that Rhett was genuine in his offer. Most people only said it just to be nice and would hate to actually help do it.

So, Link settled on the politest way to phrase it that he could. "No, thank you. I really appreciate the offer, though."

"Are you sure?" Rhett asked. "It's really no trouble. I can have a moving truck to the motel in no time-"

A moving truck of all things was definitely not necessary, and who the hell could get one this late anyway? "I'm sure. We're okay. Thanks, though, Rhett. Really."

"Okay, no problem..." Rhett said, still unsure, but deciding to take Link at his word.

"Oh, and by the way," Link said and reached into his pocket, pulling out the car keys and dangling them between his fingers. "Here you are."

Rhett just shook his head at that, putting his hands up, palms facing Link as if to tell him, "No thanks."

Link's eyes widened at that, quickly shaking his head back and forth. "No, Rhett. No. I can't keep this. It's an entire  **car** ."

"A car that you _ need _ because you can't keep taking the bus forever. It takes too long."

"At least let me owe you for it," Link tried, scrambling to find something that he could do to repay Rhett's kindness. "Even if it takes forever, I'll pay you back. How much did it cost?"

"You don't want to know, Link," Rhett almost chuckled, but not quite. "Just say, 'Thank you, Rhett', and move on, okay?"

Link stared at Rhett for a minute, trying to think of something to say, but coming up empty. So, he just played along, but while silently plotting ways to repay Rhett. "Thank you, Rhett. So much."

"You're welcome, Link. Oh, and I have one more thing before you and Ryleigh screech out of here."

What was Rhett going to gift him now? An entire house?

Link waited patiently while Rhett went over to his desk and rummaged under it, coming back up brandishing two bags. Two  **big** bags. Massive, one could even say, and they were both emblazoned with the words  _ Toys R' Us. _

Walking back over, Rhett handed the bags over to Link. "I overheard Ryleigh talking to Hannah in the backseat of my car yesterday about how she didn't have many toys at home, so..."

Rhett rubbed at the nape of his neck, looking sheepish as both Link and Ryleigh's mouths gaped open. 

"Toys R Us?!" Ryleigh asked excitedly, jumping up and down. "You got me toys, Mr. Rhett?!"

"I sure did, kiddo," Rhett smiled. "But you have to wait until you're all moved in to your new apartment to look in the bags, okay? Promise me?"

"I promise!" Ryleigh exclaimed despite the fact that she didn't yet know just how hard it would be to wait. Miss Ryleigh Neal could be patient when she had to be, but she was also a big fan of instant gratification.

Link's jaw was still hitting the floor at Rhett's generosity, but he managed to compose himself long enough to say, "Ryleigh, what do you say to Mr. Rhett?"

Immediately, Ryleigh knew what her father was getting at. "Thank you for my new toys, Mr. Rhett!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Rhett said and winked at Link, who almost instantly began to blush. Why was it so hot when he did that? "Enjoy them." After a brief pause, a look of realization washed over him. “Oh, I’ve got something for you, too…” Rhett doubled back to his desk and opened his drawer, beginning to fish around.

“God, no, Rhett. You just gave me a car. I don’t—” 

With a chuckle, Rhett said, “Relax, Link.” When he returned, he motioned for the father to hold out his hand. Link’s heart was racing with anticipation. With this man’s unpredictability, it could be anything. But what he placed in his palm meant more to him than any ridiculous expensive gadget. He looked down and saw a small pack of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in his hand. 

He looked up in shock. He knew it was a vast overreaction, but he found himself clenching his jaw in an attempt to keep tears at bay. The car had been a charitable gesture, sure, but this was something more personal. Something he definitely wasn’t used to. The night before, Rhett had clearly been  _ listening _ , and he  _ cared _ about what Link had to say. “I, uh… Wow, Rhett…” he mumbled sheepishly. 

“I know it’s not a massive toy haul, but one of the kids must’ve forgotten it at my house, and I just thought, well… Since I know you love them…” That was a lie. Rhett had specifically gone to the grocery store to pick up the pack in order to give to Link. But, he didn’t want to admit that and seem… He didn’t know. He was afraid his flirting was going too far already, but he just couldn’t help it. He loved seeing Link’s smile.

“I do. I can’t wait to eat them,” Link said with a blush.

Taking her father’s lead, Ryleigh tugged on his shirt and, in a hushed tone, asked , “Daddy, what do you say to Mr. Rhett?”

Link couldn’t help but chuckle. “ _ Thank you _ , Mr. Rhett,” he said through his soft laughter.

Rhett motioned towards the door. “You are both very welcome. You better get a move on, though. I’m sure you’ve got a long night ahead of you.”

* * *

**Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 at 10:13 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

Link and Ryleigh were finally home for good just after ten at night. Of course, they would have been at their new apartment sooner had Link not forgotten that they didn't have a bed at their new place and needed air mattresses, pillows, and blankets to tide them over until Link could afford real beds. While there, he also picked up a cheap, prepaid cell phone so that it was easier to communicate with Rylegh's teacher when he was needed instead of relying on his work phone. He was sure he could expect to get more calls regarding Ryleigh’s behavior. He just hoped they’d be good calls, soon.

But now they were finally home and ready to settle in. It was certainly way past Ryleigh's typical bedtime, so she was too tired to even look at her toys. She whined about how she wanted to, but was just "too  _ lazy _ ", and Link assured her that they'd still be there when she was more energetic.

After blowing up both of the air mattresses and setting Ryleigh's in the only bedroom, deciding to give it to her and take the living room for himself, Link had Ryleigh change into her pajamas and brush her teeth. But when it came time to go to sleep, Ryleigh didn't want to go to her room.

"I want to sleep with you, Daddy!" Ryleigh pouted, making hands at Link that told him that she wanted to be picked up, which Link happily did. "I don't want to sleep in my own room."

"Why not, baby?" Link asked, holding her close and looking into her big, blue eyes. "You had your own room back in North Carolina. What's wrong with having your own room here?"

"I want cuddles," Ryleigh said indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "And snuggles, and hugs, and kisses. Like at the motel!"

Link realized what Ryleigh was getting at now. He understood completely, actually. She had enjoyed their closeness at the motel and wanted more of it here. As far as she was concerned, she was affection starved.

"Oh, I see. Okay. You can sleep in Daddy's bed."

"Yay!" Ryleigh cheered tiredly, letting out a loud yawn.

Link set her down on the floor, and when she pouted, he ruffled her hair.

"Why don't you go lay down? Daddy just needs to change his clothes, brush his teeth, and take his contacts out and then he'll come lay with you."

"Okay, Daddy," Ryleigh yawned again before trotting off to bed and getting beneath the blanket.

With that, Link grabbed some pajamas and his contact case before going off to the bathroom to do what he had to do.

After changing his clothes and brushing his teeth, Link washed his hands before he took his contacts out. One at a time, he removed the plastic lenses and placed them in their solution that he had squirted inside the case.

Turning the knobs of the case closed, he ran a hand over his face and then washed them again before leaning over the mirror in the apartment to take a look at himself.

Link looked the black mop on his head. Examined his scruffy beard as if he was looking at each individual strand of hair. Gazed into his deep, blue eyes as if they were the only remnant of his past life that he had taken with him. And, looking at his reflection, staring back at him, he found a man that he didn't recognize. 

Those blue eyes were the only visual representation of Hunter Lockwood left standing. His shaggy blond hair and clean-shaven baby-face were gone. Of course, he could change the outside as much as he wanted to, but the inside was a different story. Hunter Lockwood was still alive and well (or, not so well) along with all of his emotional baggage. Link Neal wouldn’t be able to get rid of that. Not as easily as picking up a box or two of dye, at least. Everything he had done—everything he was doing—suddenly became all too real again. He had  _ kidnapped  _ Ryleigh Rae Lockwood, and the police force was out to get him. They were in hiding. 

Before he could spin himself into a panic attack, he heard Ryleigh call for him from the living room. “Daaaaaaddy,” she whined. She tended to get whiny when she was sleepy. He couldn’t blame her. “I want cuddles now!” 

“Okay, sweetheart!” he called back, giving his reflection one last conflicted glance before turning off the light and exiting the bathroom. 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our lovely betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi :)

**Thursday, November 2nd, 2017 at 7:48 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Getting Ryleigh to school that morning had been unbelievably easy, just as it had been the day before. Waking the girl up wasn’t any easier, but having Rhett’s car was so much more convenient than trying to get there on time via the bus. When they arrived at the classroom, Hannah and one other girl were the only two in the room so far. 

Without looking back, Ryleigh let go of Link’s hand, called, “Bye Daddy!” and ran off to sit with her friend. 

Rhett walked over to Link with two coffee cups in his hands, both decorated with a print of a happy blue skyscape and bright white clouds. One, he had clearly been drinking out of for a while, but the second looked pristine. “Mornin’, Link,” he said with a smile. “ How’d moving go last night? Not too much work?”

“Hey, Rhett,” Link returned with a wide smile. “Nope, not too bad. We had to go on a late night Target run and Ry didn’t get to bed until way past her bedtime, but we got through it.”

“I, uh… I got you a… a coffee, if you want. It’s just black. If you don’t want it, that’s fine, I just thought… You know…” Rhett cringed at how suddenly flustered he sounded. He’d tried to keep himself steady, but clearly it hadn’t worked. He sounded like a damn fool. When he met Link’s eye, the man didn’t seem perturbed by it at all, although his face was turning red. 

“Oh, wow… I… Jeez, I’d love some coffee, Rhett… Thank you so much!” Link replied, taken aback by both the gesture and Rhett’s stammering. He usually seemed so well-spoken, so to hear him sputtering was slightly disconcerting. He waited, but Rhett didn’t hand the coffee over like he thought he would. The teacher just stared at him, frozen. Link glanced back and forth between the coffee and Rhett’s face, trying to figure out what he was waiting for. 

Just as he was about to ask, Rhett blurted out, “Hey, would you be interested in going on a date tomorrow night?” He then handed the coffee over and closed his eyes in disappointment. Disappointment in himself. That wasn’t how that was supposed to happen. He had originally planned on bringing Link coffee over the next few weeks and trying to judge whether or not it would be appropriate to ask, or if Link was even interested. He wasn’t supposed to just come out with it on day fucking  _ one _ ! 

Link was certain he’d been blushing before, but as soon as he heard the words that left Rhett’s mouth, his face was on _ fire _ . He looked over to where the girls were seated, thankful that they hadn’t heard what their teacher had said. “A… A date? As in, a _ date _ date?” Link asked in a hushed tone, not sure he’d understood Rhett’s intentions clearly.

Rhett cringed, incredibly embarrassed, his face bright red now as well. “I’m so sorry. I… I mean, yeah, that is what I meant. But if you’re not… I know you don’t have a phone, so it’d be nearly impossible to plan, and you… I... I shouldn’t have asked. I just thought… You don’t need to answer that.”

“No, I bought a phone last night…” Link blinked up at the teacher, absolutely dumbfounded. “I’d love to!” he blurted out after a moment, sounding  _ way _ too eager. It was his turn to cringe at himself, now. What was  **wrong** with him? The last thing he should be doing was going out on a date. He needed to be keeping a low profile, and he had promised himself not to get too involved with anything… Anything or any _ one _ . But Rhett was…  _ Rhett. _ And the fact that Rhett was interested in him was shocking, so he was too worked up to think things through rationally. 

“Wait, really?” Rhett asked, eyes wide. He wasn’t expecting that to go so well, especially after he had completely flubbed his wording. 

Link nodded, pulling out his cellphone to remind himself of his new number. He read it out to Rhett, who typed it into his own contacts list. 

“I... I guess I’ll call you tonight and we can make plans?” Rhett asked as he put his phone back into the pocket of his jeans. 

Link bit his lip and nodded, stomach churning at the thought, though he wasn’t sure if it was out of terror and regret or out of excitement. “Sounds good,” he muttered, glancing back at the girls. They still weren’t paying attention to their conversation. He took a long sip from his coffee, not sure what to say next. 

There was a long silence between the two men as more kids filed into the room, but Rhett eventually spoke up. “I’m sorry,” he said simply.

“Sorry?” Link asked, eyebrows raised. “For what?”

With a soft laugh, Rhett shook his head. “I don’t even know. I… I wasn’t planning on asking today, or even any time soon. It just… came out.”

“Oh, well… we don’t have to go out if you don’t want to…” His heart sank at the thought of Rhett thinking he’d made a mistake, of rescinding the invitation because of it.

“No!” the teacher practically yelled. It made not only Link jump, but also the kids sitting around the room. Before addressing Link, Rhett assured his students that everything was fine. Once they were distracted again, he turned back to the parent at his side. “No, I really am interested in… in you. In getting to know you better. On a deeper level. If that’s what you want, of course. I was just afraid that this was too soon.”

Link sighed deeply. Too soon? It probably was. But even then, Link was certain he shouldn’t be getting to know  _ anybody _ here in Los Angeles, soon or otherwise. The more people he knew, and the closer they got, the more chance of somebody finding him out. But he just couldn’t help it. “Maybe, but I’d like that, too,” he muttered. 

Another silence fell between the men, and when Rhett finally glanced at the clock, he gasped. “You’re gonna be late for work if you don’t get a move on!”

He was right. Link got the keys for his newly-acquired car out of his pocket and nodded. “Thank you so much for the coffee, Rhett,” he said with a bashful smile. “I can’t wait to discuss our plans later. I’ll see ya.” Link hoped that his goodbye wasn’t too awkward, but based on the way Rhett’s cheeks rose with his smile, he figured he did alright. 

“See ya later, Link,” the teacher waved.

* * *

 

**Thursday, November 2nd, 2017 at 6:20 PM; Buies Creek, North Carolina**

* * *

 

Caroline drummed her hands on the steering wheel unenthusiastically as she waited at a stoplight, her hands barely matching the beat of the music playing from her stereo. She usually loved the Smiths, but hadn't had the energy to so much as hum along to them in weeks. The only reason she was tapping was that she was impatient to get to where she was going. Her hands just sort of fell into a rhythm on their own.

The light that she was sitting at felt like it was red forever, so when it finally turned green, she might have possibly, just  _ maybe _ , gone a bit faster than she probably should have, which was ironic considering where she was headed.

When she finally reached her destination, Caroline parked her car before taking the keys out of the ignition and grabbing her purse, opening her car door and stepping out into the lot.

Once she was inside, she looked around for the person she was due to meet, but in a sea of blue, she was struggling to locate him. Luckily, she found him before she could get too frustrated.

At his desk, the man, who was wearing a leather jacket and had short, slightly spiked blonde hair, stood up from his seat.

"Thanks for taking my call, Roxy, I really appreciate it." he said, then hung up the phone that he was holding in his hand as he bent slightly over the desk. 

Once the call had ended, the man approached Caroline and greeted her with a warm, but still serious smile on his face. He was generally a bubblier person, but it was easier to keep it at bay when it came to this matter.

"Hey, Ms. Parker," greeted the man, who wore a badge and a gun in his black denim jeans, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Hi, Detective Hayden," she yawned, exhausted from her day at work. Extending her arm, she grasped the man's hand firmly and shook it twice before releasing it. "Just Caroline is fine."

"Caroline it is, then," the detective said and motioned to his desk. "After you, ma'am."

"Thanks," she said and walked over to the chair on the other side of his desk so she could sit, struggling to keep her eyes open already. She didn't know if it was such a good idea to take a seat, but it was only polite. "So, you said you had somethin' new?"

"A couple of new things, actually," Detective Hayden informed her, taking a seat back in his rolling chair, scooting it closer to his desk. "First off, we located your… sorry, I keep forgetting you're not married...- Hunter's parents' car at a bus station in Smithfield. Then, we reviewed the security footage from the day of their disappearance and caught a pretty clear image. I was able to interview the woman working the ticketing desk they visited, and they said they got on a bus to Los Angeles. That woman who I just got off the phone with now told me they got off somewhere in Oklahoma, and that's all the news I have for you."

"So they're in Oklahoma, then?" Caroline asked.

The detective nodded. "That's where we believe they are, yes. We believe that Hunter bought the tickets to Los Angeles to throw us off his trail."

Immediately, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of Caroline. She knew where they  **were** . Not for certain, of course, but she had the detective's educated guess, and that was enough for her. They had gotten to where they were going safely.

"That's good to hear,” she said, letting out a heavy breath.

But of course, the relief didn't last long and a million questions popped up in her head after the initial wave of it had passed.

They had arrived safely, but were they _ still _ safe? Were they eating regularly? Was Hunter employed? Was Ryleigh enrolled in school and getting an education? Did they miss home? Did they miss  _ her _ ? Were they  **okay** ?

She almost couldn't focus on Detective Hayden's words, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to concentrate.

"Is that all?" she found herself asking, though she hoped politely. This guy was helping her out, or at least he thought he was, and she didn't want to be rude.

"Yes, that's all. Thank you for coming in, Caroline. I'll call you if we come up with anything else." And he hoped for her sake that they, that  _ he _ , did soon. Caroline Parker was a broken woman if he had ever seen one, even if she tried to put on a presentable face.

As Caroline exited the police station, thoughts spun rapidly in her head, but one kept coming back around: should she go to Oklahoma herself and try to find them?

For a brief moment, she thought that yes, she should. She could find them and bring them back. Then, she'd go to a psychiatrist, past trauma be damned to hell for all eternity, and sort herself out.  _ Fix  _ herself so that they could be a family. A  _ real  _ family with no horrible  **abuse** . No gaslighting, no thrown punches, no screams of agony or angry words that fuel them. No  **hurt** .

But then, she thought about how if she hadn't been able to fix herself on her own, she could never be fixed. How she had missed her opportunity to turn herself around and was past the point of no return.

She thought about how Hunter and Ryleigh were probably seeing this as a fresh start. As time away from her, a  _ life  _ away from her. Something better. Greener pastures. How they'd make new friends, build a new  **family** without her and how they'd be happier than they'd been in a long time, happier than Ryleigh had been in her whole damn life.

That's when Caroline Anne Parker decided for certain that there would be absolutely no chasing after them. At least not on her part.

* * *

 

**Thursday, November 2nd, 2017 at 7:30 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Ryleigh had just finished her dessert, one of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups from the pack Rhett had given to Link, when she gasped.

“What is it, baby girl?” Link asked, a small smile on his otherwise sleepy face. He’d had a long, excruciating day at work, albeit for a very different reason that he was used to. He was used to stressing about the potential of getting caught, terrified as he thought of Caroline’s well-being, and struggling to focus on his tasks for the day. While he was still having trouble focusing, this time, what had him distracted was his relentless  daydreams about whatever he and Rhett may get up to the following night. 

“Can I see the toys Mr. Rhett got me, now?” she practically pleaded.

“Oh! Sure, sweetpea. Let me go get the bags. You wait right here.” He peeled himself away from the suitcase he’d set up as a makeshift dinner table and wandered into Ryleigh’s room where he’d left them. Picking the bags up again, it struck him just how heavy they were. What on earth had Rhett bought?! He lugged them back to where Ryleigh was waiting patiently and set them down. “Dig in, darlin’,” he said with a smile. 

Ryleigh stuck her hand into the first bag and, with some surprise, pulled out a card before a toy. “A card?” she asked. “Daddy, read it to me!”

Link scooted over so he was sitting right behind his daughter, peering over her shoulder so he could read the card. “It says, ‘Dear Ryleigh, I overheard you telling your bestest friend Hannah that you couldn’t bring your toys from home with you to Los Angeles. I know these probably aren’t as special as the ones you had to leave behind, but I hope you enjoy them all the same. Have fun! From, Mr. Rhett.’” There was a PS at the bottom addressed specifically to Link, which he read in his head. Rhett explained that he went out and purchased a bunch of toys for his students for their birthdays, even for the students with birthdays over summer break, so this was something he did for all his students at some point or another. That made Link feel a lot better about accepting all the gifts, but only increased his surprise around the whole situation. Only, the next sentence Rhett wrote explained that he’d still be getting Ryleigh birthday presents on top of this so she didn’t feel left out when that time came around. Link couldn’t believe what he was reading. Rhett really was something else.

“I miss my old stuffies, Daddy,” Ryleigh pouted.

“I know you do, sweetheart,” Link sighed, pulling her in for a hug. “I know. I’m sorry we couldn’t bring them with us.”

“Do you think Mommy is taking care of them good?” she questioned, eyes wide.

Link’s heart sank at her daughter’s questioning. “Of course she is, sweetheart. I’m sure she’s taking great care of them. Why don’t you see what Mr. Rhett got you?” He didn’t want to talk about Caroline… 

“Okay…” She pulled out the first box, and gasped upon seeing that it was wrapped in unicorn wrapping paper. “Daddy, look! It’s pretty!” she yelled.

“I see!” he enthused, rubbing her back gently. “Open it up! You’ve got lots of presents to get through!” 

Ryleigh didn’t need any more encouragement. She tore into the paper and revealed an astronaut Barbie. “WHOA!” she yelled out, clearly excited. “Look, Daddy! She’s a space Barbie! I wish Mommy was here to see! Will you open her so she can play with Raffy?” 

“You don’t want to open the rest first?” Link asked, trying to keep his smile from turning into a frown. He knew Ryleigh must really be missing her mother, and it was making him feel guilty.

Ryleigh dumped out the rest of the first bag and frantically tore open everything, throwing the paper off to the side as Link sat back and laughed as he watched the carnage. She repeated the same thing with the second bag, trying her best to get through all of the wrapping paper as quickly as she possibly could. Seeing the haul, Link was certain that Rhett had to have spent at least a few hundred dollars. Maybe a thousand. Maybe more. He had no idea, but he was certain that he’d come close to replacing the amount of toys Ryleigh had at home. Perhaps that’d been his intention. 

“Open them, Daddy!” Ryleigh yelled.

“I don’t think I can get all of these open at once, baby. Why don’t you pick the five you most want to play with tonight, and I can get the rest open tomorrow?” he offered. If he didn’t, he’d be there all night. 

Ryleigh picked the astronaut Barbie, the scientist Barbie, the Barbie Dreamhouse, a unicorn stuffie, and a cat stuffie, which Link set to work opening as quickly as he could, though it wasn’t easy. He never understood why they made kids’ toys so damn hard to open, and without so much as a pair of scissors to make it easier on him, opening the toys was a total pain in the ass.

Once Ryleigh was set playing with her toys, Link started to daydream again. He just couldn’t help it. What had Rhett had in mind when he asked for a date? Did he want to go to dinner? A movie? Just hang out at one of their homes? There was no way he could let him into their apartment. He’d be horrified at the lack of furniture, and Link would be more than embarrassed… Whatever Rhett had in mind, Link was nervous as hell. He hadn’t been on a proper date in he didn’t even know how long. And even then, he’d never been on a date with another man. Should he act different? No, of course not. He needed to just be himself. But… Had he left himself back in North Carolina? Who was he anymore? 

Before Link could spiral into a panic attack, his cellphone began to ring. It was Rhett. “Ry, I’m gonna be in the other room on the phone. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy!” she replied sweetly as he helped her scientist Barbie to ride the back of the unicorn. 

Link walked into Ryleigh’s room for some privacy before answering it. “Hello?”

“Hi, Link. It’s Rhett. Is this an okay time?” 

Link took a deep breath to try to steady his nerves. “Hey, yeah. Ryleigh just opened all of the toys you got her, so I’ve got some time with her distracted,” he laughed anxiously.

“Oh!” Rhett exclaimed, surprised. “Did she like everything okay?” 

Did she like everything okay?! He would have guessed that Rhett’s gifts had gotten a better reaction than any Christmas in her life so far. “She loves everything. She’s got the Barbies stampeding through the Dreamhouse on the Unicorn right now. It’s chaos.”

Rhett chuckled, loud and genuine. “I’m so sorry, she’s never gonna get to bed, is she?” he teased.

“Probably not. You’re just gonna have to deal with the sleep deprivation tomorrow. Not me,” Link retorted.

“True, true,” Rhett laughed. “So… About tomorrow night…”

“Right…” Link’s breath hitched in his throat, anxious to hear what Rhett was planning.

“Drew’s happy to watch Ryleigh, so she can play with Hannah,” Rhett began.

“Oh! That’s great!” Link exclaimed. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t even thought about where Ryleigh would be during all of this. Was he a terrible father?

“So, I was thinking that we could go out to dinner, and then head back to my place to watch a movie? If that’s okay with you. I was just thinking that my media room would give us some more privacy than a theater, but if you’d rather—”

“That sounds great, Rhett,” Link said, certain Rhett could hear his smile in his voice. 

“Anywhere in particular you think you want to get dinner?” Rhett asked. 

Link was quiet for a long time. Should he expect to try to split the bill? Of course he should. It was polite. He was trying to think of a restaurant with a low enough bill, but knew he couldn’t suggest McDonald’s or Wendy’s as their first date. So, he settled on saying, “You know, I’m not familiar with the area…” It was the truth, after all. 

“Want me to surprise you?” Rhett asked. 

Link sighed, worried that it’d mean they’d be going to an incredibly fancy restaurant. “Sure. As long as I don’t need to wear a suit, I’m down.”

With a chuckle, Rhett replied, “Noted. I’ll pick you up at around seven?” 

“Sounds good, Rhett. I’ll text you our address. Thank you so much.”

“Awesome. It’s a date, then. See you tomorrow morning!” Rhett enthused.

“See ya,” Link said. 

“Good luck with Ryleigh,” he teased.

Link smirked and rolled his eyes. “Thaaaanks,” he laughed. “Bye, Rhett.”

“Bye, Link.”

When Rhett hung up the phone, Link heaved a sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was try to get his hyper daughter settled enough to get to sleep on time, or at least sometime close to on time. Based on the noises coming from the nearly empty living room, he was certain it would be an impossible task. 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to a-smut-sundae, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi for beta reading!

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 6:15 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett walked back and forth in Jason's office, pacing holes in the floor as well as his shoes due to his nerves.

He'd been anxious all day as well as all last night on the decision that he had made, or rather the decision that his brain had made for him, to ask Link out. Was it the right thing to do? Was it too soon? Was he rushing into things? Did he  **deserve** this date?

"I don't know if I'm ready," he said, his head buried in his hands as he reached one end of the office before turning on his heel to begin toward the other. "I don't know if I should. I mean... I know Lauren told me that if anything like what happened ever... that I should find somebody  _ else _ , but I don't know if anybody will ever be able to live up to what she was to me."

“You’re not trying to replace her, man,” Jason said softly from behind his desk, standing up so that he could walk over to Rhett and lay a gentle hand on his arm. “You’re trying to move on from her, sure, but you’re not trying to forget about her or pretend what you had never happened. And maybe you should take a seat, Rhett. You’re gonna fall through to the basement you’re wearing the floor down so much.”

“I don’t want to sit, Jason!” Rhett practically shouted, jerking his arm away from Jason’s touch. “I want…” Her back.  _ Them  _ back. To wake up with her in his arms and have the past ten years be a terrible, horrible, no-good nightmare. “I want to stand.”

“Okay,” Jason said softly, removing his hand from Rhett’s person. “I’ll stand with you, then.”

“I… I went to see Sav and I… I know she’d want me to move on. They all would. But it’s just so damn  _ hard _ . I don’t want anybody else. I mean, Link is  _ adorable _ and kind and he makes me smile, but he’s not  **Lauren** .”

Rhett shook his head, trying to fight the memory of his visit with his daughter, but it came before he could stop it.

* * *

 

**_Thursday, November 2nd, 2017 at 6:45 PM; Los Angeles, California_ **

* * *

 

_ Rhett greeted the nurses in the pediatric ICU as he walked along, knowing them all by name at this point. He’d been coming here for so long that he couldn’t help but have learned a few things.  _

_ When he finally reached her room, the one at the end of the hall behind a secluded curtain of all things, he watched her from the door before sitting down in the chair at her bedside.  _

_ “Hey, Sav, honey. It’s me again,” he said, and in a quieter voice, almost a whisper, clarified, “Daddy’s here.” _

_ He paused for a beat as if he was waiting for her to respond. It was crazy how, after a decade, he still expected her to spring up and hug him in greeting when he sat down beside her. But when she didn’t say anything at all, as always, he kept talking.  _

_ “I asked Ryleigh’s Daddy to go with me on a date today,” he explained, gently taking her hand and holding it, waiting for any sign of life in her tiny frame. “Yeah, I don’t know either. You know how I just let words tumble out of my mouth without thinking sometimes. ” _

_ “I asked him to dinner and a movie. Cheesy, I know, but classic. Man, I’m so  _ **_goofy_ ** _ when I’m around him. I feel like I felt when I was with Mommy. Like a downright idiot, but somehow it’s okay. Because he’s there, and he’s silly, too.” _

_ Another beat before Rhett looked Savannah straight in the face. He thought for a good, long moment, staring hard at her, before asking, “It’s okay, right? To do this? Would you mind, sweetheart?” _

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 6:24 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

“I mean, what was she supposed to do, Jason?! “ Rhett sobbed brokenly. “Answer?!”

Jason shook his head, giving Rhett a sympathetic look. It was all he could do short of hugging the poor guy, which said guy did not want.

“No. No, she’s not supposed to answer. But you’re still... Your brain’s used to it, but your heart hasn’t caught up yet.” Jason suspected that it never would, but he would and could never say that to Rhett’s face. “You still  _ want  _ her to respond. You’re still waiting for it.”  _ ‘And that might not ever change,’ _ he wanted to say, but he refrained. “You’re grieving for her loss in a different way than with Lauren, Ollie, and Ella. Because it is different. Her physical body is still there with you but it… You don’t really have  _ her _ . It’s natural for you to want to talk to her, and if you… Think of it this way. If she’s in there, if she’s listening, she knows her Daddy still loves and cares for her.”

In response to Jason’s last words, the principal saw his best friend go more pale than he’d ever seen him before. 

“What if she’s  **in there,** Jason?! What if she’s  _ listening _ ?!”

Rhett couldn’t handle the thought that Savannah could be trapped in her own body, and he wasn’t sure how the thought hadn’t crossed his mind in the ten years she’d been in that godforsaken bed. The fact that there was a possibility that she could hear every word, that she knew she was alive, but that she couldn’t  _ move _ , just might kill him. 

“Woah, woah. Now isn’t the time to spiral. I’m not trying to be mean, and I’m not trying to write you off. You know that. But you’ve got a date in thirty-five minutes and you need to not do this right now. So, take a nice deep breath and put it out of your mind. We can talk about it later, but for now, you need to forget.” And, well, Jason needed some time to come up with something to say in response to, 'What if my comatose daughter is sentient and knows the very real fear of being a prisoner inside her own body?'

Rhett appeared as if he was about to speak, but Jason stopped him before he could. "In and then out, man. Follow my lead." Then, Jason took a big breath into his lungs before exhaling it. He made Rhett repeat the process until he was satisfied.

"All better?" Jason asked when Rhett looked more calm, and the taller man nodded. "Good. Now, back to our original worry: Link is not going to replace Lauren. He'll never even come close, because it'll be a different experience. You'll never have the same relationship with him as you did with her, but that's a good thing. And you don't have to feel guilty about finding a different kind of love. Even if it was the exact same, Lauren would want you to be happy. Just try it. The worst that could happen is that you wasted one night, but the best? The best could be finding the happiness you deserve. Can you just try one date?”

Rhett found himself nodding his head slowly in agreement before he could make the conscious decision himself. 

“Good. Now, you better get going before the guy thinks you decided to stand him up.”

Jason watched as Rhett nodded and turned on his heel to leave the office, softly shutting the door behind him. He ran a hand over his face once he was sure that Rhett could no longer see him, heaving a deep sigh. 

The guy had been through a lot. Not just the loss of his family, but the grieving and pain that came with it as well as different grieving and pain that came with seeing his only “surviving” child as a shell instead of the ray of sunshine that she used to be. It was the pain of not being able to let go. 

Jason could only hope that the date would go alright, and that Rhett would last until the morning with the question of Savannah’s consciousness weighing on him. 

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 6:48 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett drove along in a mix of nerves and excitement, a million questions running through his mind. 

He didn’t feel much better after his conversation with Jason, but he figured it must have done something, because here he was in his car, making his way to Link’s apartment. 

He couldn’t help but notice the change in scenery as he made his way to the man’s residence, but couldn’t find it in himself to judge as nicely manicured lawns and neighborhood watch turned to run-down buildings and probable drug deals. 

Rhett imagined that this was all that Link could afford at the moment, and didn’t so much as double check the address to see if he had it right when he parked in front of a crumbling apartment complex. He made a mental note as he reached over to the passenger’s side to ask Link if he’d rather be put up in one of  _ his  _ apartments on the other side of town. One that he could pay reduced or no rent on, one that he and Ryleigh would be  **safe** in. 

Reaching over to the passenger’s side of the car, Rhett unstrapped the buckle that he had clicked into the holder to keep his flowers and wine in place. 

Gathering them in his arms, he took the keys out of the ignition of his Mercedes then stepped out of the car and closed and locked the door behind him. 

He was almost afraid to leave his (admittedly expensive) car unattended, even though he knew he could buy another one and have it be no skin off his back. That wasn’t the point. It was just the principle of it all, and having to wait for the car service would make them late for their reservation. 

So, he triple checked that it was locked before he left it, resolving to retrieve Link and Ryleigh and get back to it as quickly as he could. Then, he got buzzed up by Link and headed up to the fifth floor.

When there was a knock on the door, Link called to Ryleigh from the bedroom. “Ry, baby! Can you get the door? Make sure to ask who it is first!”

Link knew exactly who it was, but it was always best to have Ryleigh ask before opening the door. It was a matter of safety, after all. Especially in this neighborhood. 

“Okay, Daddy!” Ryleigh said and stopped playing with her toys in order to get up and call to the person at the door, “Who is it?!”

Rhett smiled to himself behind his mustache, shaking his head fondly. 

“It’s Mr. Rhett, sweetheart!” he answered, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his grey henley in the hopes that he wouldn’t look like he’d been crying. Of course, the attempt didn’t serve him well. “Gonna open up for me?!”

With that, the door all but flew open at Ryleigh’s orchestration. 

“Mr. Rhett!” she squealed, spreading her arms out and practically glomping onto him with a hug. “Hi!”

“Hi, Ryleigh,” Rhett chuckled, wishing he could hug her back, but unable to due to the offerings in his arms. “Your Daddy here with ya?”

Of course he was. Rhett knew that Link would never leave a five year old by her lonesome in a shady apartment complex in an equally shady neighborhood.

“Yeah! I’ll go get him! Come in!”

And the moment that Link heard that, he came zooming out of the bedroom to keep Rhett from seeing the inside of their apartment.

“Hi, Rhett!” Link said, still in the outfit he’d worn to work. He had been in the bedroom for over an hour trying to decide what to wear, and he’d had no such luck in picking an outfit just yet. 

Body-blocking the door so that Rhett couldn’t see inside (and not at all subtly, might he add), Link smiled. “Sorry, I’m just picking out an outfit. I promise I’ll be quick.”

“Oh, okay,” Rhett said, smiling. “No worries. I can just come inside and wait while-”

“No!” Link practically shouted before covering his mouth in surprise. “No,” he said more quietly. “Actually, can you take Ryleigh down to the car for me? I’ll get done much faster without her running in and out of the bedroom.”

_ The  _ bedroom? As in singular, one bedroom?

Rhett nodded. “I bought you, uhm… wine and flowers,” Rhett said, extending his arms to hold out both. “I put the flowers in a vase because you know, who brings a  **vase** when they move into a new place yanno?” And, from what he’d heard, they hadn’t brought much more than the bareboned essentials. 

“Oh, thank you, Rhett,” Link smiled and took the wine, looking at it for a long moment before setting it out his feet so that he could take the flowers with two hands. It was a beautiful arrangement, one of blue irises, white violets, Christmas roses, and what appeared to be statices. “Gosh, these are beautiful! I’m going to put them by the window right now so they can get some sun.”

“You’re very welcome, Link,” he said, smiling and holding out his hand for Ryleigh. He had a feeling that there was something that Link didn’t want him to see behind that door, and he’d have to respect that. 

“C’mon, honey. Let’s go get in the car. We’ll listen to some music while Daddy’s finishing getting ready. How does that sound?”

“Okay!” Ryleigh exclaimed, and with that, they were off and Link could close the door and finish picking out an outfit. 

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 7:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

When Link joined his daughter and his date outside, he was wearing plain black jeans and a simple burgundy sweater. 

“Finally decided, I see?” Rhett chuckled, trying to mask the pain behind his eyes as Link entered the car and sat in the front passenger’s seat. 

Link saw it, of course, the way that Rhett looked as if he could cry at any moment, but he decided to ignore it for now. At least for as long as they were in front of Ryleigh. 

“Yep,” he grinned. “Now we can get this party started.”

“Party?!” Ryleigh asked excitedly from the backseat, clutching Raffy tightly in her arms. Sometimes, Link thought the poor giraffe’s head might pop off with how hard Ryleigh squeezed him. 

“No, no party,” Link chuckled. “Just an expression, sweetpea. Like ‘get this show on the road’.”

“No party?” Ryleigh asked sadly, pouting. 

“No party. But you do get to go see Hannah, remember?”

Immediately upon hearing that, Ryleigh’s smile returned. That was easy. Now, all they had to do was get her over there. 

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 7:30 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

When Link saw the entrance area of the restaurant that Rhett had made reservations at, his heart sank. There was no question that this would fit the definition of a fine dining restaurant, and Link was not at all dressed for that scenario. He’d told Rhett nowhere he’d need to wear a suit! He glanced up at Rhett nervously, who opened the door for him, simply smiling in return. Link sighed softly and just decided to go with it. As he stepped across the threshold and into the dimly lit building, Rhett placed a hand on the small of his back, lightly enough that Link barely felt its presence. But he  _ could _ feel it, and he couldn’t help but blush slightly in response to the gentle, lingering touch. Rhett led him to the podium occupied by the maître d′ and said, “Hi there. I’ve got a reservation for 7:30.” 

The maître d′ looked Link up and down, then did the same to Rhett, who was, quite frankly, also not dressed the way he probably should have been for such an environment. Link wondered if it was just to make him feel more comfortable. He was sure Rhett owned more than one suit, and that he could easily guess that Link did not. Link looked past the podium into the dining room and noticed that every single person in the place was dressed as if they were headed to the Oscars afterwards. He gulped. There was no way in hell they were going to be let inside. 

Just as the host opened his mouth to speak, and by his expression, it wasn’t going to be anything good, Rhett spoke up instead. “For McLaughlin,” he clarified. 

The expression on the host’s face immediately shifted to one of realization. “Oh! McLaughlin! Yes! Right this way.” The man grabbed two menus and immediately began to walk off under the assumption that the men would follow.

Link looked up at Rhett, absolutely dumbfounded. How had he done that?

Rhett smirked, laughing softly, and placed his hands on Link’s shoulders from behind, gently guiding him through the restaurant after the maître d′. Link watched as table after table passed by while they were headed for a door at the back of the restaurant. What the hell was going on? 

“We’ve got the private dining room all set up for you, just as you’d requested, sir,” the man explained, opening the door. “Gentlemen,” he said, holding his arm out as a signal for them to enter. Private dining room? What? Link wasn’t sure he knew those had even existed.

Hands still on his shoulders, Rhett guided Link inside. There were three decently sized tables, but only the rounded booth in the corner had its candle lit. On the corner of the table perched a bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne inside. They slid into the booth from opposite ends, and once they appeared settled, the host handed them each a menu. 

“Thank you so much,” Rhett said with a kind smile. Link had manners, really, but he was so confused that he couldn’t speak. He’d mentally prepared himself for some casual diner or something, not  _ this _ . 

“Of course, gentlemen,” the host replied, bowing ever-so-slightly. “Your waiter will be here shortly.” He then took his leave, closing the door behind him.

Link stared across the table at Rhett in awe. He was in shock, but as he began to take in his surroundings a bit more, he couldn’t help but note how stunning Rhett looked, face glowing in the warmth of the dim candlelight. 

“What do you think?” the teacher asked with a laugh. “Cat got your tongue?”

Rhett’s words broke Link from his trance, at least somewhat. “I thought I said nothing fancy,” he replied, blinking rapidly in astonishment. 

“That is _ not _ what you said,” Rhett teased, leaning across the table for dramatic effect. “What you  _ said  _ was, and I  _ quote _ , ‘As long as I don’t need to wear a suit, I’m down.’ We’re here, and neither one of us are wearing suits.” 

Link opened his mouth to argue, but shut it when he came up empty. That  _ was _ what he’d said. A smile slowly spread across his face, and he put his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay. You win,” he laughed.

“Is it okay, though? Do you like Italian food?” Rhett questioned, and Link swore he could detect a hint of anxiety in Rhett’s tone. 

“Rhett, this is… This is more than okay,” he assured. “I just…”

“What? Is it about the bill? Because you know this is one hundred percent on me,” he let out frantically. 

Link lowered his head, shaking it with a soft laugh. “No, that’s not what I was gonna say. I hadn’t gotten there yet…”

“What were you gonna say, then?”

“Just… What’s with the private room?” He finished, looking back up with a smirk.

“Oh!” Rhett chuckled loudly. “Yeah, about that… When I called, I told them we wouldn’t be following their dress code. Obviously, they didn’t appreciate it, and they were going to cancel the reservation. So, I offered to just rent out one of the private dining rooms. They weren’t happy, but it worked.”

“Rhett!” Link gasped with a surprised laugh. “Why didn’t you just plan on going somewhere that wouldn’t expect us to get dressed up at all? And why aren’t you wearing a suit either? You can’t tell me you don’t own one…” Link couldn’t help it; he was just too curious.

“I thought it’d be more fun to be alone. We can complain about the stuck up rich people in the other room and nobody can hear us do it,” he explained, winking.

Link rolled his eyes playfully. “Oh,  _ please. _ You have no right to poke fun. I’ve seen your house. And you didn’t answer my second question.”

“Oh, I own a lot of suits. I just never wear them. I hate dressing up. I hate feeling like…” Rhett’s sentence trailed off and his goofy smile wavered. 

“Like what?” Link pressed, cocking his head to the side with curiosity. 

“I just don’t like accidentally coming across like I think I’m better than anyone else, _especially_ because of my money, and in places like this. There’s too much of that around Los Angeles as it is. And as tall as I am, there’s eyes on me constantly anyway. I don’t need to draw any more attention to myself than I already get. That makes me uncomfortable enough on its own,” he explained, opening up more than Link had anticipated. He supposed he should’ve expected as much, considering this was a _date_ , after all.

“You know, I… Nevermind. It was stupid.” Link had started to make an attempt to flirt with the other man, but regretted it the minute he opened his mouth. His face turned bright red at his sorry attempt at backtracking.

Rhett’s smile returned in full force, and he pressed Link. “No, no. Whatever you have to say, I want to hear it. What?”

“Noooo, it was nothing,” Link said, an embarrassed laugh escaping as he looked down and shyly rubbed the nape of his neck. 

“What?! Tell me!” Rhett insisted, laughter only growing louder with each of Link’s refusals.

“I was gonna say that your height probably isn’t why people are staring, it’s because of how gorgeous you are,” he let out in a rush, cringing as he spoke. He chewed on his bottom lip, anxious to hear Rhett’s response. His palms were growing sweaty from nerves as the other man’s silence drew out longer and longer. Had he said something wrong?

“Gorgeous, huh?” Rhett asked finally, his tone suddenly soft and gentle, a stark contrast to his boisterous laughs from just a moment earlier. “You think I’m  _ gorgeous _ ?” 

Link took a deep breath, working up the courage to make eye contact with him. “I, uh… Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“I can say the same about you,” Rhett replied, his cheeks rising in his unique smile that Link could only describe as adorable. 

Rolling his eyes again, Link shook his head. “ _ Please. _ No way. I’ve been an absolute wreck since we met. An absolute zombie. I don’t know what you see in me.” 

Rhett reached out across the table and placed a hand atop one of Link’s own, rubbing it gently with his thumb. “You’ve been going through a lot. I can see that, sure. But underneath the dedicated, sleepy dad, there’s…” Rhett let his sentence trail off before chuckling again. “There’s an absolute  _ stud _ .”

That was it. Link’s face must have turned the shade of a perfectly ripe Roma tomato. He opened his mouth to deny Rhett’s claims, to call him a goddamn  _ liar _ , but the door opened before he could. The waiter was there to take their order, and they hadn’t even bothered to so much as glance at the menu yet. 

“Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Giacomo, and I will be your waiter tonight,” the man began. “Have you had a chance to look over our menu?”

“We have!” Rhett lied, face beaming. Link cocked his head to the side in confusion, opening his mouth to say something, to ask what the hell Rhett was doing, but still too flustered to find the words. “We’d love some water, and we’ve already got some champagne. Link, do you want some wine, too?”

Stammering, Link said, “O-oh… N-no… No. Nope, just the water and champagne is fine…” 

“Great! Just water, then. As for food, we’re going to do both of the tasting menus,” Rhett said, handing the menus to the waiter with a friendly smile.

The waiters eyebrows rose in surprise. “Both?” he asked.

“Yes, both,” Rhett replied. “I know it’s a lot of food, but—”

“No, no. My apologies, sir. I wasn’t judging your decision. I’ll let the kitchen know.”

With that, the waiter left, and Link felt more comfortable speaking up. “Both the tasting menus? What is that about?”

Again, Rhett chuckled and shrugged. “I looked at the menu before I made the reservations. The tasting menus are basically made up of everything on the normal menu plus some extras. And they come in little tiny plates. I thought it’d be fun to just sample everything and pig out!”

Link couldn’t help but smile. He had to admit, that did sound like a lot of fun. The way Rhett made it sound, he felt like he was about to experience a high end, all you can eat Italian buffet. Compared to how he’d been eating the last few weeks, this would be heaven. He was sure of it. “Please tell me it’s not going to be a million dollars or something insane…” Link couldn’t help but bring up the price, even though Rhett had assured that he’d pay for everything. It still made him feel bad, and he didn’t want Rhett overdoing it with the bill.

“Not quite a million,” he said with a wink. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t ever treat myself. It’s fine.”

What Link wanted to say was, “Maybe not yourself, but you treat literally everyone else that crosses your path, apparently!” But instead, he simply nodded as Rhett worked to open the bottle of champagne for the both of them.

“So..” Link began awkwardly, not able to meet Rhett’s eye. 

“So?” Rhett asked, smiling over at Link, but letting it falter when he realized that Link appeared to be uncomfortable. 

“Earlier you uhm…” Link tried, glancing up at Rhett before quickly looking back down. “When you picked us up, you uhm… You looked like you had been crying, and I was wondering if everything was okay?”

Rhett’s eyes flicked back and forth between the table and Link, Link and the table, and it was a beat before he answered. “Oh uhm… That was nothing. Just some personal stuff.”

“Oh…” Link hummed, understanding “personal stuff” very well. He wouldn’t want to pry, of course, and while he wanted to know what was wrong so that he could help, the last thing he was going to do was ask.

Resisting the urge to lay his hand on top of Rhett’s as a show of support, Link said, “I’m here if you ever want to talk about it.”

“Thanks,” Rhett smiled sadly. “I appreciate that.”

* * *

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 8:05 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link had looked uncomfortable for the past five minutes now. Rhett had tried to ignore it, tried to push past it and surge forth in their conversation about Link’s new job as an engineer and how Rhett double majored in teaching as well as business. But eventually, he just couldn’t take the look on his face anymore. 

“What’s wrong, Link?” Rhett asked softly, quirking a concerned eyebrow. 

"Nothing, nothing," Link scoffed softly. "Just thinking. Worrying about Ryleigh. I've never left her alone with anybody but family before. Thinking about calling and checking up on her."

"Aw, I know how hard that is," Rhett said, remembering back to when he first left his little ones with a nanny on a day that he and Lauren were both busy. "How about you call Drew and check up on her when we get back to my place?"

Link thought for a moment on the suggestion. He knew dinner couldn't last too long, but then again, their first tasting plate had just come out. But he could handle a little while longer, right?

"Okay," he agreed. "When we get back."

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 8:45 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Arguing over who would have the last bite of chocolate cake, Link shoved the plate onto Rhett’s half of the table. “It’s yours, man! You paid for it and I’m too full!” Link giggled. 

Rhett shoved it right back over to Link’s side. “Nope, you deserve it! It’s one bite! You have room for one more bite! Just do it!” Rhett argued in return, laughing just as loudly. 

The two men had consumed the entire bottle of champagne, and they would be lying if they didn’t feel a slight buzz. Not enough to even feel tipsy, but it was certainly making them a bit silly nonetheless. 

“Please, Rhett! Just eat it!” Link begged.

“Why don’t we just split it? Sharing is caring!” Rhett proposed, splitting the already tiny bite into two halves with his fork. 

“You are such a  _ teacher _ ,” Link teased. 

“Just eat the damn cake. Don’t make me turn my fork into an airplane too!” Rhett giggled and held his own fork across the table and in front of Link’s mouth.

Leaning away from the fork, Link shook his head, trying to appear serious and not like he was having the time of his life. “I can feed myself, you weirdo!” 

Rhett held his gaze and didn’t move his fork away. Link’s heart rate increased as Rhett’s stare grew more intense. He was sure it was his own imagination, but Rhett’s entire demeanor shifted from playful to downright… Well, it was sexy as hell, if Link was being honest. He took a deep breath to work up the courage, but after a moment, he leaned in and took the bite from Rhett’s fork, maintaining eye contact the entire time. 

After holding the gaze for a moment longer, the playful energy returned. “There! That wasn’t so hard, was it? I’m a man of my word. I’ll eat the last little bit!” Rhett said as he plopped the last little bit onto his tongue and smirked. 

The waiter returned with the bill, and Rhett grabbed it before Link had a chance to read what it said. “Close your eyes,” he instructed with a laugh.

“What? No! I wanna see!” Link insisted.

“Nope! I promise, you really don’t.” Rhett handed the waiter his credit card and the bill. 

Link watched as the waiter left to charge him for the meal, but then turned his attention back to his date. “Is it really that much?” he asked, starting to feel bad.

Rhett’s voice shifted to his soft, gentle tone again. “Link, it doesn’t concern me at all. But I don’t want you seeing it and feeling guilty, or like you need to chip in at all. I asked you out, and I was the one who ordered all that food for us. I don’t want you to—” 

Link raised his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay. Fine. I won’t ask. As long as I get to take you out next time.” The words left his mouth without him even thinking about it.

“Next time?” Rhett asked, eyebrows raised. His bit his lip to try to keep a grin from spreading.

Link’s face grew bright red again. God, it was easy for Rhett to make him blush. He hadn’t been so easily flustered in years. “Oh, I… I just… If you didn’t want… I mean…” 

Rhett chuckled loudly. “I’d love to go to dinner with you again another time, Link. Don’t sweat it,” he winked. “But, the night isn’t over yet! We were gonna go to my house for a movie, remember?” 

Oh my god, the movie. Right. Link had forgotten about that. “Oh! Yeah! I’m sorry. That champagne… My mind isn’t as sharp as it usually is,” he giggled.

“If you’re too tired, we can just pick up Ryleigh and I’ll drop you two off at home,” Rhett offered.

“No, no! I’d still really like that… It’s just… It won’t be too late for Drew?” he asked, concerned. It was already around Ryleigh’s, and he assumed Hannah’s, bedtime. 

“Nope, don’t worry about that. We’ve got plenty of time,” Rhett smiled. 

The waiter returned with his card, which he placed back in his wallet before filling out the receipt with the tip and signing it. He peeled himself away from the booth before holding his hand out, offering to help Link up. Link stared at it a moment, but eventually took it. Rhett pulled him to a standing position and then wrapped an arm around him from behind, resting his hand on Link’s shoulder. They walked out of the private dining hall together, through the restaurant, and out into the crisp night air.

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 9:00 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

“Red or white?” Rhett asked Link from the doorway, who was spread out on one of the extremely soft couches in the man’s media room.

“Huh?” he asked.

“Wine. You want some?” Rhett clarified. “I’ve got lots. What do you like?”

Link closed his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t tell me you have a freakin’ wine cellar, too.”

Rhett chuckled, a tad embarrassed. “Okay, I love wine. Sue me. What do you want?” 

Link sighed, feeling like maybe, at this stage of his life, he should know the difference between all the different types of wines, or at least between red or white. “Ohhh, I dunno,” he said, trying to act nonchalant and play off the fact that he was completely ignorant to the matter at hand. He’d had wine, sure. But it was almost exclusively out of a box and he never paid attention to what it actually was that he was drinking. “Whatever your favorite is.”

Rhett smiled at that, and flashed him a thumbs up. “Gotcha. Want some popcorn, too?”

“It’s not a movie without popcorn, now is it?” Link replied.

“Of course not! Be right back. Sit tight and think about what you want to watch!” With that, Rhett disappeared into the kitchen.

Placing the bag of popcorn in the microwave, Rhett set the timer on the keypad and then raced down to the wine cellar, scanning the rows of bottles quickly until he found what he was looking for: his shiraz.

Wielding the bottle almost as if it was a weapon, Rhett jogged back up the stairs to the main level and stopped the popcorn just in time, taking it out of the microwave and shaking it up before pouring it in a bowl and putting what must have been half a stick of butter and half a pound of salt in it before stirring it and tossing the spoon in the sink. 

Then, he popped the cork on the wine and poured two glasses. As he poured the wine, his mind drifted. Back to Lauren. Back to the first time he had given her this wine to taste. Well, not this exact wine. This was from Morgan’s parents’ vineyard and he didn’t even know Morgan back then. The kid might not have even been out of highschool yet. God, he was old. 

It had been wine from someplace else, but it still tasted more or less the same. She had hated it. Spit it right back into her cup, not even having the decency to swallow it so her germs weren’t in the glass. He drank it anyway and it absolutely disgusted her. Rhett wondered if Link would have a similar reaction.

He returned to the media room with two glasses of the dark red wine, so dark it almost looked black in the glass. “I really like this shiraz, it’s got a hint of blackberry to it,” he explained, handing one of the glasses to Link. “Give it a taste. I’ll be right back with the rest of the bottle and our snacks!” 

Rhett disappeared again, and Link stared down at his glass of wine curiously. Blackberry, huh? That sounded intriguing. He smelled it, hesitated a moment, and then took a tiny sip. He couldn’t taste blackberry, but it wasn’t too bad. He could drink it.

Rhett came back, bottle in one hand and a huge bowl of popcorn in the other. “Is it okay?” he asked, hoping Link didn’t hate it.

“Oh, yeah! It’s the best wine I’ve had in a long time!” Link assured, and it wasn’t a lie. 

Rhett visibly relaxed and plopped down next to him. “Awesome! I’ve got another bottle if we get through this one and want more,” he said with a smile. “So, think of a movie?”

Link took another sip and then grabbed a handful of popcorn. “I don’t really know, honestly. I only ever watch movies made for kids, so I’m kinda out of the loop. You can decide.” There. Pass off the responsibility. Link didn’t have to worry about making the wrong choice that way.

Rhett looked away, and his smile wavered. God, he missed those days. Being chained to the realm of childrens’ cinema seemed like a blessing now. “Yeah, no problem,” he said, forcing himself to shoot Link a wide smile.

Link saw through it, and felt bad. He assumed Rhett had wanted to get to know something about his likes and dislikes, and was disappointed that he hadn’t given up that information. So, he added, “I really like documentaries, but I didn’t think that was appropriate for a date… I used to really like watching movies so horrible that they turned good again…” 

“Like Nicolas Cage?” Rhett asked with a laugh.

“That’s exactly who I was thinking about, yeah!” 

The two men laughed heartily. Rhett started going through the list of movies he had on his device and humming to himself. “Let’s see… Documentaries or Nic Cage… Not sure I have either of those, but I’ll definitely be looking into getting them for next time…” 

That warmed Link’s heart. Next time. Rhett wanted to sit through hours of whatever the hell Link wanted to watch, and that meant the universe to him. He didn’t say anything, just happily munched on popcorn and sipped at his wine while Rhett flipped through movie title after movie title. 

After a while, Rhett found something. “Hey, I mean… It’s a romcom, but how about 50 First Dates?” he suggested. That would be something entertaining enough to hold their attention, but enough of a relaxed pace to allow them to chat if they wanted to. 

“Oh! That’s a good one. Sounds good to me,” Link said, nodding in approval. Rhett pressed a button on his remote that turned down the lights and played the movie in one go. Both men went quiet and enjoyed their food and drink.

“Did you want to call Drew before we start?” Rhett asked, pulling out his cell and dialing the number as the opening slides played. “Here, use mine. It’s already got his number for ya.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Link smiled and took the phone, putting it to his ear and waiting for Drew to answer. 

When he finally did, he sounded like he was out of breath. 

“Hey, man! How’s your daaaate?” he huffed.

Link blushed, and stuck his tongue out at Rhett when he smirked at him.

“It’s L- Charles, actually. Ryleigh’s dad. I was just calling to see how things were going, but now I’m more concerned with you! It sounds like you just ran a marathon!”

“Oh, you know. Daddy duty. Playing horse for three kids isn’t easy on the back or, as it turns out, the diaphragm.”

“Three?” Link asked. Hannah, Ryleigh… What? “Oh, do you babysit like Rhett does?”

“What?” Drew asked, confused. Then, he realized what Link was saying. “Oh! No. I’ve got a daughter a couple years younger than Hannah. So, my two and then your girl. Speaking of whom, she’s up a bit past her bedtime, my fault. But that means she’s available to take your call!” he joked. 

"That would be great. Thanks, Drew," Link chuckled. "And no worries about her being up late." Her bedtimes hadn't been very strict as of late, anyway. "I appreciate you taking her. Would be wrong of me to complain about bedtimes."

"No problem. Let me get her… Ryleigh! Your daddy's on the phone! Wanna talk to him?!"

Link waited patiently while there was a bit of background noise, and then his daughter was on the phone with him as opposed to Drew.

"HI, DADDY!" Ryleigh yelled in greeting. "Are you having fun with Mr. Rhett?!"

That immediately drew a laugh from Link. "Yes, darlin'. A lot of fun. How about you and Hannah? I heard that Hannah has a sister, too."

"Yeah! Her name is Josie! She's  _ twooooo _ years old!" Ryleigh exclaimed, holding up her index and middle fingers despite the fact that Link couldn't see them through the phone. 

"Twooooo?" Link echoed, chuckling. "That's great honey! I'm glad you're doin' good. Just wanted to check up on ya, but I should let you go now." He left 'so you can go to sleep' unspoken. Drew knew that much. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay! Bye, Daddy!" she said and held out the phone to her friend's father. More faintly, Link could hear her saying, "Here, Mr. Drew!"

"Thank you, Ryleigh," he said as he took the phone back. "Alright, my man. See you soon."

"Thanks, Drew. See you around."

“You know, you don’t have to keep goin’ around callin’ yourself Charles,” Rhett said reassuringly, giving Link a smile. “Everybody’s really nice at Suncrest. Nobody’s uppity like you think they are…-” Then, he laughed. A boisterous one, like he had at dinner. “Okay, well, maybe some of the parents, but certainly none of the staff.” Hell, their meal admin had grown up in poverty before digging himself out of it. Nobody at that damn school had any reason to think they were better than anybody else. 

“If you say so, I’ll take your word for it,” Link said and cracked a small smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 10:39 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

When the movie started, both men had been sitting up and at a distance from one another, but as the wine kept flowing and the night dragged on, they slowly started to slump down on the sofa. Eventually, Link’s head sleepily lolled over, coming to rest on Rhett’s shoulder. Rhett had draped a lazy arm around Link, holding him close. As the credits rolled, Link hummed in content. “That wassa good movie,” he said, acutely aware of a slur in his voice. Maybe he’d had a bit too much to drink… In his current state, he shrugged it off. Ryleigh wasn’t there, so what did it matter? He didn’t have to be the responsible one for once.

“Mmmmhmmm,” Rhett agreed, nodding his head. “Classic.” 

“Definitely… What time is it?” He asked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. 

“Dunno… Don’t care.” Rhett had consumed a bit too much alcohol as well. 

A long, comfortable silence extended between the two men, neither one wanting to break it. The dark room, the fuzzy heads, and the warmth of each others’ bodies lulled each one into a sense of comfort that they hadn’t felt in years. Just as Link was about to doze off, Rhett was the one to break the silence. His voice was a soft whisper, but his face was close enough to Link’s that he could hear him loud and clear.

“I’ve been super duper worried about you, ya know… Those bruises and scratches on your face… Did I tell you I noticed that? Probably not… But I did… What is going on with you, man?” Rhett was too drunk to care about his lack of grace with broaching such a sensitive topic.

Link felt his entire body run cold, but he too was too drunk to keep himself from giving up more information than he should. “I… My… Ryleigh’s mom… There was something wrong…” Even in his inebriated state, he was still conscious enough to keep up with his usage of past tense. He needed to keep his story straight.

“Wrong?” Rhett asked, pulling Link closer to him. His heart began to race, and he hoped Link couldn’t tell. He was just so eager to find out what was weighing on this poor man.

“Dunno what. Mental illness. It started to get bad in like 2006 or 2007. I tried to… to get her help, but she couldn’t go to a psychiatrist. She had some… some trauma. Horrible, awful experience with one as a kid. I had to take care of her, make sure she didn’t…” His sentence trailed off and he gulped, feeling sick to his stomach. He shook his head, trying to keep the quickly approaching tears at bay. God, he hoped she was okay back home. “Hospital stays, 9-1-1 calls… Always for her, not me. She took it out on me pretty bad, but I always dealt with it. Black eye was just leftover from before. I heal real slow. I tried so hard to keep it from Ry, but she knew. She was taking care of me some days, Rhett.” By the end, there, he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to make it one more day without getting away from her, which was why he left early. He couldn’t  **take it** anymore. Oh boy, here come the waterworks… The first tears escaped from Link’s eyes and rolled down his cheeks, landing on Rhett’s shirt. He almost opened his mouth to apologize for the intrusion, but different words came out instead. “Bruises, slices, broken bones… And oh man, the  _ yelling _ . She never went after Ry. Well, physically. Not until the last night. God, Ryleigh heard so much…” Link was practically sobbing now, his whole body shaking in Rhett’s arms as he spoke. But still, he couldn’t find it in himself to say sorry. “I’m an awful dad, aren’t I? I should’ve done more to protect her…”

Rhett held Link as close as he could, rocking him gently back and forth. He could feel his own tears coming on. What Link was saying was no surprise, but that didn’t make it any less painful to hear. “You’re an amaaaazing dad, Link. You did everything you could and I can’t imagine what you had to go through,” Rhett muttered, trying his best to comfort the man. He was sure whatever he was coming up with was useless, given the amount of alcohol coursing through his veins.

“That’s why I’m so  _ sleepy _ all the time, Rhett,” Link sniffled. “I just get constant nightmares. Constant. Can’t ever sleep through the night.”

Rhett shook his head in sympathy. “Been there. I’m still on some medication for it,” he admitted. The minute it escaped his mouth, he regretted saying it. But he couldn’t help it.

Link sighed deeply, trying to wipe his eyes, and now snot, too, on his sleeve, but it didn’t do much good. “What’s your story? You’ve gotta have something. Mr. Rich Hollywood kindergarten teacher.” 

“Family fortune, nothing interesting there,” Rhett sighed, trying to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to tell Link. “I used to have a family. A wife, Lauren, and three children. Sav, my oldest. Oliver, my middle child, my only boy, and Ella, the baby. Well, she wasn’t a  _ baby _ … But yeah. Hell, she was. She’ll always be my baby. But one day… one day they… They were here, and then one day, they weren’t. And it was all my fault, Link. God, it was all my fault.”

Link couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His face contorted into an expression of concern and horror. Where were they? What on Earth had happened? Had Rhett done something to them? “Rhett, I…” Link felt the need to fill in the silence that Rhett had left, but Rhett continued.

“It was Sav’s birthday, but I just  _ had _ to go into work. Lauren was gonna bring the kids to me, and we were all going to go out to lunch to celebrate. But Ella…  _ Fuck. _ ” His last word escaped with a whimper and then another sob. Rhett couldn’t help it. He shook his head, and covered his face with his hands. Link got up onto the couch farther, sitting on his knees so he had the leverage to  _ really  _ hold onto Rhett. 

“It’s okay, Rhett. It’s okay,” Link assured, but the small amount of sober head he still had left was screaming that no, it was not in fact, okay. Nothing was. For either of them, apparently. 

“Ella, she… She would get fevers and seizures occasionally, but her doctor… We were told it was normal, and she’d grow out of it. She wasn’t feeling well, but Lauren gave her some medicine. But on the way to the school, she got another one, and… I guess she… Lauren turned around and was trying to hold onto her and they… They sped off the road and into a ditch.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Rhett, I’m so sorry,” Link breathed. “I… I had no idea… I didn’t mean… I’m sorry…” He was at a complete and utter loss for words. He couldn’t imagine losing Ryleigh, let alone losing Ryleigh times… four. Link was almost too drunk to count.

“It was a  _ decade _ ago, Link. Ten full years. Lauren, she…” He sighed. “We talked about what we’d do if something ever happened to one of us. She always said she’d want me to move on, but… I’d never… I’d never had the desire to go out until I met you…” Rhett couldn’t believe he’d admitted that, but it slipped out. He was already spilling enough of his soul, why stop now?

Still crying himself, Link gently reached out to wipe a tear off of Rhett’s cheek with his thumb. He couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh at the last thing the man said. If he was sober, he would have certainly tried to continue to have a serious discussion with him. But his damn brain just wasn’t working right. Instead, what he said was, “You have terrible taste in men.” 

It seemed to work, though, as Rhett let out a quiet laugh, too. He shook his head in disagreement. “You’re so strong, Link. Going through what you did… I’m sorry I didn’t clue in. I maybe shoulda been more gentle with you on Halloween, but I didn’t know...”

“You helped me through my panic attack, it’s okay,” he muttered, still embarrassed that it had even occurred in the first place. 

Neither man knew what to say in that moment. Another long silence extended between the two of them, this time much heavier than before. Rhett’s gaze lingered on Link’s face. Everything in his mind was screaming at him to kiss him. Just lean in and do it. But he knew he shouldn’t. It wasn’t appropriate, given the seriousness of everything he’d just learned, and the fact that they were both intoxicated only added to it. He wasn’t about to make any moves when he risked them both regretting it in the morning. Little did he know, though, Link felt the same way. 

To Link, Rhett was starting to mean one thing: safety. Rhett opened his home to him, and to Ryleigh, and he seemed completely selfless. Like he wouldn’t hurt a fly. In fact, Rhett seemed like he would go out of his way to help said fly find a good life. Link was drawn to Rhett like he hadn’t been drawn to anybody in as long as he could remember, and the urge to lean in and give him a gentle kiss was almost overwhelming. But, just like Rhett, he just didn’t think it would be appropriate. He doubted that Rhett wanted to kiss him. It was just way too soon.

Rhett gulped and dropped his gaze, catching sight of the empty wine glasses on the floor. “What do you say we open that second bottle?” he asked.

Link had been adamant that he’d had enough, but after such a difficult conversation, he was all for it. “Let’s do it,” he nodded. 

* * *

 

**Friday, November 3rd, 2017 at 11:15 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Three quarters of the way through the second bottle of wine, Rhett’s phone rang. He started to complain, asking who the hell would be calling him, until he saw the caller ID. It was Drew. 

“Shit!” the man yelled just after taking a swig of wine directly from the bottle. Between their intense, emotional discussion and the alcohol, the two men had completely forgotten about the fact that they had agreed to pick Ryleigh up at some point around 10:30. That time had come and gone, and neither man had noticed.

“Drew, I’m so sorry!” Rhett yelled into his phone as soon as he answered it. He set the bottle of wine down on the carpet gingerly, careful not to knock it over.

“Is everything okay?” Drew asked, Rhett’s volume taking him off guard. “I was just calling to ask what time you guys thought you’d be here…”

“Uuuuuuugh, I’m a horrible father,” Link groaned, rubbing his face with his hands in agony. He flopped over so that he was sprawled out on the couch, his legs draped across Rhett’s lap. 

“Drew, Link and I are absolutely wasted. It’s a long story…” Rhett explained apologetically.

Drew laughed softly, trying his best to stay quiet so as not to risk waking up the girls. “So, what you’re saying is, you can’t pick Ryleigh up?”

Rhett confirmed his suspicions. “We’re so ab-so- _ lutely _ waaasted, Drew…”

“We’re sorry!” Link yelled out, hoping he was heard on the other end.

“Hey, I was the one who suggested they just have a sleepover, remember? They’re already crashed out in Hannah’s room. I don’t mind. Just don’t sleep all day tomorrow,” the man laughed. 

“Drew we’re sorry! We’ll make it up to you!” Rhett insisted, with Link agreeing. 

“No need. Have fun you two.”

“Drew, do you swear it’s okay?!” Rhett questioned, but noticed a moment later that the other teacher had already hung up on him. “Do we suck?” 

“ _ I _ suck, you don’t suck. I forgot about my own daughter!” Link yelled.

“Nooooo, you’re  _ great _ , Link…” 

Rhett laid down on the sofa as well, his head next to Link’s. He was too tall to fit his entire body on the couch, so his legs were hanging over the far edge. 

“I am the absolute worst,” Link breathed, shaking his head in denial. He’d been worried about his baby girl all night long, and then proceeded to forget all about going to get her. 

Rhett reached out a hand, cupping Link’s face and turning it so their noses were practically touching. “No, Link,” he breathed. “You are  _ not _ the worst. Don’t let her voice come out of your mouth like that. You are an  _ amaaaaaaaaazing _ dad, okay?”

Link’s breath hitched in his throat. Rhett’s words shook him to his core. He hadn’t realized that he was putting himself down so much. Did he do that often? “Okay,” he whispered in response, although he wasn’t sure he believed it himself.

“Say it!” the larger man encouraged.

“I… I am  _ not _ a terrible excuse for a dad.” It was hard to say, embarrassing, really, but Link got it out. The smile that spread across Rhett’s face hit Link’s emotions in another way. In a way that made him want to lean in and kiss the man square on the lips. The urge was there, and he swore he started to make the move, but he stopped himself before he could. 

Rhett hadn’t noticed the internal struggle that Link was going through. Oblivious, he reached out and pulled the man on top of him in one fluid motion. They settled down together, Rhett wrapping his arms around Link, and Link resting his head on Rhett’s chest. Their legs intertwined together, and Link’s arms folded between his own chest and Rhett’s. “Sorry I got ya drunk,” Rhett mumbled, his voice a low rumble that vibrated Link’s head.

“‘Sokay,” Link slurred, humming happily. He felt comfortable and warm in Rhett’s arms. He felt…  _ Safe. _ “You’re warm.”

“You like?” 

“Mmmmmhmmmm.” Link sighed softly in pure bliss, his eyes fluttering shut. He nuzzled his head against Rhett, who was running his fingers gently through Link’s hair. “Don’t wanna move.”

“Then stay,” Rhett said simply.

And that’s exactly what Link did. The two men laid there, limbs tangled together in a drunken stupor, not saying a word to one another, simply enjoying the other’s company. Rhett fell asleep rather quickly, and as Link’s head slowly rose and fell on Rhett’s chest with his gentle, even breathing, he was lulled to sleep in no time as well.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to our betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi!

 

**Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at 8:27 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link slowly regained consciousness, noticing the throbbing in his temple before anything else. He groaned, turning his head to the side and rubbing his eyes, his glasses having fallen onto the floor at some point during the night. What on Earth was he laying on? Oh. Right. Rhett.

Link sat up and swung his legs off of the couch so he wasn’t crushing Rhett under his weight, but his foot hit something on the floor. He looked down, and his blood ran cold. The red wine they’d left behind in the bottle the night before had spilled all over the beige carpet, and was still slowly sloshing out. He must’ve kicked it over. 

“Shit,” he hissed under his breath. He picked up the bottle and placed it on the ground, trying not to wake Rhett. He was flying into a panic, certain that the carpet must be some ridiculously expensive carpet imported from God knows where. How the hell was he going to clean this up?! Before he could figure it out, Rhett began to stir. 

“No, no, no,” Link whispered, looking around for something he could put on the spill to try to soak it up. But, he had no idea how to clean up  _ red wine _ of all things. The stress of it all was only making his hangover worse, his head throbbing, but only now his stomach began to churn as well. Rhett was going to be fucking furious. 

Rhett groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Jesus  _ Christ _ , Link,” Rhett mumbled, and for a minute, Link thought he had seen the stain. But, he followed his words with, “Do you feel as shitty as I do?”

“I feel like absolute garbage,” Link muttered, and only part of it was because of his hangover.

Rhett looked down, spotting the spill. “Oh damn, I can’t believe I left that just sitting there,” he mumbled.

“I… I kicked it over, I’m so sorry,” Link whispered, scared that Rhett was going to snap. 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Rhett said nonchalantly, much to Link’s surprise.

“You’re… You’re not mad?” Link stammered, shocked that he wasn’t getting yelled at. Even more shocked that Rhett wasn’t making any moves to clean it up.

“Nah, this carpet’s seen worse,” he replied with a smirk. “Ry said you were clumsy,” he added with a chuckle. “I should’ve seen that coming.”

Link smiled, and despite his horrific headache, he couldn’t help but laugh softly. “So, my child is shittalking me in your classroom?” he asked.

“Maybe a little…” Rhett teased, before shaking his head. “Nah, I’m kidding. She said it lovingly.” 

Link shook his head, smiling slightly. “Anyway, again, I’m really sorry. Let me clean that up… I’m sure you have a better idea of how to get wine up…” 

“Seriously, Link. Don’t worry about it,” Rhett repeated. He genuinely didn’t care. “I’m too hungover to care, and I’m sure you’re not feeling much better.” 

Link nodded, unsure of what he should say, or do. Every fiber of his being wanted to get up and clean up his mess, but Rhett clearly did not care. He jumped slightly when he felt Rhett’s hand on his back, rubbing gently, with slow, sleepy motions. He looked over and met his tired gaze. Rhett was smiling groggily. 

“I’m so sorry I got you so drunk last night,” Rhett said sincerely. He felt awful. 

“No, I… It’s fine, Rhett,” Link smiled back. “I’m sorry. It’s my own fault. I shouldn’t have had that much.”

Rhett laughed softly. “I was the one who kept pouring us more. Plus, you’ve gotta go home and deal with a little one. I can crash as soon as I’m alone.” He glanced down at the floor, his smile wavering slightly. Right. He’d be alone… 

Link noticed, and his memory of their conversation the night before slowly began to creep back into his head. Most of it was fuzzy. He’d had quite a bit to drink before the tears started flowing, but he could remember enough. “I’m sorry…”

“Hm? No, no. It’s okay,” Rhett muttered, standing up to finally gather their dishes from the night before. “I… I had a really great time with you last night, Link,” he admitted. Despite the tears, despite the horribly painful conversation, despite  _ everything _ , he still really enjoyed spending time with Link. 

Link smiled a tiny smile and nodded in agreement. “I can’t remember the last time I had a night to myself. I mean… You know I love Ry with all my heart, but—”

“No, no. I totally understand. I’m glad Drew was able to watch her for us.” Just then, an idea popped into Rhett’s head. “Hey, um… No pressure, if you want to just get home and relax or whatever, but… Do you want to go out to breakfast?” Rhett really didn’t want to have to say goodbye to Link yet. He really did love spending time with the man; seeing his smile, hearing his laugh. It was a wonderful change of pace. He’d take it over being alone in his quiet home any time, day or night.

Link smiled slightly and nodded. “Only if I get to pay.”

“What? No, no. I’ve got it covered, Link,” Rhett insisted.

Link, of course, shook his head. “Cmon. You wouldn’t even let me  _ look _ at the bill last night. And I just spilled wine all over your carpet. Let me. Please?”

Rhett wanted to argue. He had plenty of money; taking Link out to breakfast was nothing, financially speaking. Link, though? Based on all of the context clues that Rhett had picked up on in the short time he’d known Link, he was certain going to breakfast  _ anywhere _ would be at least somewhat of a burden on his wallet. But, the look on Link’s face made it clear that he was serious and not just asking to be polite. “Okay, it’s a deal. Where do you want to go?” The least he could do was let Link choose, if he were the one paying. He’d be able to tell what an acceptable price tag was.

Link thought long and hard. His stomach was upset, sure, but he was craving… something. What was it? He was quiet for a while, deep in thought, until he realized what it was. “I mean, it’s so early, there’s no way we’d be able to get it anywhere, but I could go for some pizza,” he laughed.

Rhett smirked and held up his finger as he fished around in his pocket for his phone. He scrolled through what Link could only assume were his contacts, then walked out of the room. Link waited, confused, for a few minutes, wondering to himself if he had been meant to follow the man out. But eventually, Rhett returned, a wide smile on his face. 

“Pizza is a go,” he announced.

“What? How?” No pizza shop owner in their right mind would open so early.

“There’s a little local place near the school that I always get food for class parties at. I’ve been going there for so long I know the owner. Called in a favor,” he explained with a wink. “They live in the apartment above the shop, so all we need to do is shoot him a text when we get there.”

Link couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Rhett really could get anything he wanted, couldn’t he? He decided to not even question him, to just go along with it. If he’d offered the man some exorbitant amount of money to open early, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. So instead, he simply smiled and said okay. “Can I help you with dishes before we go?” he offered. All they’d used was a bowl for popcorn and the two wine glasses, but Link wanted to help anyway.

Of course, just as Link expected, Rhett refused his offer. “Oh, please. I can wash up myself. Thanks, though. Let’s go get some food in our bellies.”

* * *

 

**Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at 9:15 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Sitting with a large supreme pizza between them, Rhett and Link quietly ate away in the silent restaurant. The owner had left them alone after making their order, going back upstairs to his apartment to give them some privacy. The only sound was their slow chewing and the muffled cars driving past the shop outside. 

There’d been something weighing on Rhett since the minute his memories from the night before came creeping back, but he wasn’t quite sure when he should bring it up. They had been having a good morning, and he didn’t want to dampen the mood again by going back to such a hard topic. Despite that, he knew he had to bring it up sooner rather than later, as they would soon part ways. He placed his slice of pizza, his third of the morning, down on his plate, and watched Link for a moment, trying to gauge whether or not it was the right time. He sighed, and then went for it. “Link, there’s, uh… There’s something I should tell you…” 

Rhett’s tone worried Link. What had he been hiding? Link swallowed his bite and wiped his face clean with his napkin before sitting back in his chair. “Yeah?” 

Rhett gulped and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure he could look Link in the eye when he said what he needed to say. “About… About our talk last night…” 

Link’s blood ran cold at the lack of eye contact. Was he getting dumped already? Or, even worse. Had he said too much about Caroline and their past the night before, when he was too drunk to think through his words before they came tumbling from his mouth? Did Rhett discover what he’d been hiding? “What is it, Rhett?” he asked.

Rhett heaved a deep sigh before he spoke. “I should tell you… My daughter Savannah…” 

Link felt some relief knowing that whatever Rhett needed to say wasn’t about him, but this topic didn’t feel much better. He still couldn’t believe what Rhett had been through, and wondered what it was he still needed to say. When Rhett was silent for more than just a brief pause, Link encouraged him. He reached out a hand to place atop of Rhett’s, squeezing it gently. “What about her, Rhett?” he asked softly. 

“She’s… She’s still alive,” he admitted. He paused a moment before adding, “Well, technically.” 

Link couldn’t help but gasp slightly. If Savannah  was alive, where the hell was she? And what did he mean by ‘technically’? He tried to play it cool, but Link couldn’t help it. He was in shock. “That’s… Rhett, that’s great!” Link enthused. “Oh my god, you still have your baby girl!”

Rhett’s face contorted with grief so intense Link wasn’t sure he’d ever witnessed somebody in so much emotional pain. A tear slipped down his cheek, as he shook his head. “No, I… Not really, Link… I was too drunk last night to explain, but…” He trailed off again, not wanting to say the words aloud. 

Link immediately felt horrible for the words he’d chosen. He quickly exited his side of the booth and slipped in beside Rhett, pulling him into a side hug in an attempt to comfort him in whatever way he could. “What do you mean?”

“She’s… She’s been in a coma since the accident. She’s… She’s wasting away in a hospital bed… I visit her all the time, but she… I don’t know. Up until yesterday, it hadn’t even occurred to me that she might be conscious in there, just not able to move… The only reason why I haven’t…” He couldn’t say ‘pull the plug.’ He just couldn’t bring himself to say those words out loud, so he didn’t. “I can afford to keep her in the hospital. I couldn’t lose them all, Link. I just… I thought you should know. I didn’t lose them all. Not technically.”

Link couldn’t believe what Rhett was telling him. His baby girl was still alive, but only because she’d been hooked up to machines in the hospital for… How long ago was the accident? The details were fuzzy because of the alcohol. He wanted to ask, but he wasn’t sure if it’d be appropriate. 

“Rhett, I’m so sorry to hear that,” he whispered, rubbing his arm in an attempt to be soothing. “I can’t imagine having to deal with that… Is there still a chance she might wake up?” Oh, real smooth, Link. If it was inappropriate to ask about how long she’d been in the hospital, what made _ that _ question okay?! 

Naturally, Rhett started to cry harder, shaking his head. “I honestly don’t think so. The longer she’s out, the less likely it is. And it’s been ten fucking _ years _ , man…” 

Well, Link got the answer to  _ both  _ of his questions. Link stayed quiet, simply rubbing Rhett’s back in an attempt to soothe him while he tried to come up with something to say to remedy the situation that he’d caused. “I’m so sorry, Rhett,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean…” 

Rhett shook his head. It wasn’t Link’s fault that he was upset. “That’s why I looked like I’d been crying when I came to pick you up,” he explained softly. “I got to thinking about her, about them, and I just… Yeah. Lauren, she… She’d always say that, if anything ever happened to her, she’d want me to try to find love again, but I just never felt like I could, or like I should…” 

Link sat there quietly, taking in everything Rhett was saying. But at the mention of his wife’s name, he was suddenly struck with a realization. “Wait… You mentioned she was an author… Was your wife  _ the _ Lauren McLaughlin?” he asked suddenly.

Rhett looked up and smiled a sad smile. Link knew who she was? He nodded and used a fresh napkin to wipe his tears dry. “Yeah, did you read her books?”

“All of them,” Link confirmed, eyes wide. He blushed, slightly embarrassed to admit to having read that genre, but didn’t feel like this was the time to try to hold back that information.

Rhett laughed through his tears. “You didn’t really strike me as the kind of guy who would read fantasy romance novels…” 

Link chewed on his bottom lip and nodded, deciding that he was just going to keep on being honest, since he was already doing so. 

“Yeah, I… I know. But with everything going on back home, with all the bad, Lauren’s books were… They were the perfect escape. The way she constructed an entire universe on the page was just…” Link trailed off and shook his head, remembering all of the nights he’d bury himself in her books to forget about the pain he was in. 

“I know,” Rhett agreed, not needing Link to finish his sentence. It meant the world to know how much his wife’s books had been able to help him through such a terrible time in his life. “She would have loved to hear you say that, Link,” he whispered. “She always said she loved to write for that reason.”

Link felt like he was being crushed under the realization that his favorite author had died tragically. Of course, Rhett explaining his family’s awful death was horrific and painful to hear, but knowing who Lauren was only made it more personal. “I remembered seeing a picture of her and her— _ your _ —kids on the back cover of her last book… When it’d been a while between publications , I just assumed she was taking a break from writing to focus on family,” Link mumbled. 

Rhett sighed deeply, pulling Link into a hug. Link figured he should’ve probably been the one to hug Rhett, since it was his family they were talking about, but he appreciated it nonetheless. “I wish that was why, Link. But she never stopped writing. I’ve got… She was working on two separate books at the time. She wouldn’t have given that up for anything.”

Link rested his head on Rhett’s shoulder, shaking his head in disbelief, feeling tears welling up in his own eyes now, too. “I’m so,  _ so _ sorry you had to go through this, Rhett. I’m sorry you’re  _ still  _ going through this.” He was sure Savannah being in the hospital wasn’t getting any easier. 

“I mean, now I know she meant a lot to you, too. She was special to a lot of people, and when she died… I knew a lot of people would be crushed. Maybe not in the same way that I was, but I know it was still hard on a lot of people. Knowing what her writing provided you with… Knowing that her books were a safe space for you… I’m… I’m sorry I had to tell you…” Rhett said.

Link shook his head. “It really is a small world, huh?” Link asked after a moment of silence.

Rhett couldn’t help but laugh softly, nodding in agreement. He wiped his tears away again, then sighed. “It’s getting kind of late. We should probably go get Ryleigh now, huh?”

Link was sad to have to part ways, was sad their extended date had to draw to an end, but Rhett was right, and he was sure Ryleigh was missing him. “Yeah. Thanks for…” Link trailed off, not sure what he had wanted to say.

“Thanks for what? Dinner?” Rhett questioned.

After a moment of silence, Link shook his head. “No. I mean, yes, of  _ course  _ thank you for dinner. But… Just… Thank you for our talk last night. And this morning, too. I, um… I never told anyone about… About…” Link couldn’t bring himself to repeat what he’d confessed the night before, but Rhett seemed to understand.

“You can talk to me about anything, Link. Whenever you need somebody, I’ll be there,” Rhett assured.

Link returned the sentiment, and the two men hugged once more, much tighter this time, before Link slipped out of the booth. Rhett followed after him, and they headed out.

* * *

**Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at 10:30 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Rhett and Link stood side by side on the porch of Drew’s home. They’d rung the doorbell and were waiting for it to be answered, hearing shuffling from somewhere inside. When Drew finally answered the door, his wide smile faltered upon seeing the two men. “You two okay?” he asked quietly so that nobody from within the home could hear. 

“Just super hungover,” Rhett offered, only telling half of the truth . Link was sure they looked like utter garbage after a long night of drinking and sobbing. He just hoped Ryleigh didn’t notice something was wrong.

“Ryleigh, your daddy is here to take you home!” Drew called, and Ryleigh appeared only a millisecond later with Raffy in hand. She hadn’t packed a bag, as they hadn’t expected her to have to sleep over. 

“Hi Daddy! Hi Mr. Rhett!” she called, running to the door. Before either adult could respond, however, she added, “You look like shit!” Her eyes immediately widened, and she held Raffy over her mouth.

Drew looked down at her, then slowly raised his head to look at Rhett and Link, his clear shock apparent on his face. Link cringed, and started to say something to Ryleigh. “Baby, you can't—”

“I know Daddy, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” she insisted. 

Link sighed and took her hand in his, leading her onto the porch so she was standing between him and Rhett. “Thank you so much for watching Ryleigh, Drew. I’m so sorry it went later than we thought.”

Drew shook his head, his smile returning, although it was clear that he was still shaken. “Ryleigh is welcome in our home any time,” he replied. “Travel safe!” With that, Drew closed the door. Rhett led the way back to his car, Link and Ryleigh trailing behind him hand-in-hand.

After she was buckled securely into the carseat that Rhett had kept in the back of his car, Link walked around and climbed into the passenger seat. As they began the drive back to the apartment, Link asked his daughter, “How was your sleepover, baby girl? Did you stay up super late?”

“Oh, yes!” Ryleigh enthused, clearly excited to share. “We stayed up sooooo late! Mommy woulda been so mad… It was so much fun! Mr. Drew is really nice! He played with us lots!”

At the mention of Caroline, Link gulped. He glanced over to Rhett, expecting to simply try to judge the look on the man’s face, but they had just pulled up to a stoplight, so Rhett felt comfortable taking his eyes off the road and sharing a look with the father. Link couldn’t read his face, and that made him nervous. After sharing eye contact for a moment, the light turned green, so Rhett looked away. Link sighed and shook his head, hoping Ryleigh wasn’t sharing too much information with anyone. 

The entire car ride home, Ryliegh continued to ramble about her sleepover, sharing everything they’d done in incredible detail. Link listened and responded as necessary, only listening as much as he needed to. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. He did. He wanted to hear all about her night, but his head was throbbing and he just wanted to lie down. 

* * *

 

**Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at 10:55 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Ryleigh was in the living room happily playing with her toys while Link stood in the doorway, facing Rhett, who stood in the hall. “Thank you, Rhett. Thank you for… For everything.” Link flashed the man a tired smile, which was immediately returned.

“You too, Link. I really enjoyed our time together.” He paused for a brief moment before deciding to add, “Our talk really meant a lot to me.”

Link could feel his emotions welling up in his chest, and he couldn’t quite tell what it was. He felt like he could cry, like he wanted to scream, and like he wanted to lean in and kiss Rhett hard on the mouth all at the same time. He gulped, simply staring at his feet awkwardly instead. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his weight before agreeing. “Yeah, I… I, uh… I guess I’ll see you Monday, then…” 

Rhett laughed, nodding slowly. “Yeah, I guess I’ll see you Monday,” he replied. He waved an awkward goodbye, paused a moment, and then walked down the hall.

Link watched as he disappeared around the corner, mentally kicking himself the entire time. What the  _ hell  _ was that?! After everything they’d shared the night before and that morning,  _ that’s _ how he decided to end things? _ “See you Monday? _ ” Link cringed and closed the door, locking it securely. He heaved a deep sigh, resting his head on the doorway, trying to muster the energy to go keep Ryleigh entertained for the rest of the day. He counted to ten and then peeled himself away, heading into the living room.

“Hi, baby,” he said softly, plopping down next to his daughter on the floor, who was playing with Raffy and her Barbie Dream House.

Dropping her toys, Ryleigh turned and wrapped her arms around Link. “I missed you last night, Daddy,” she admitted.

Link was taken aback by her words, surprised that she’d missed him, but even more surprised that she brought it up now while she was being entertained by her new toys. He wrapped his arms around her in return, and asked, “I missed you too sweetie, but I thought you had fun with Hannah?”

“I did! But when it was bedtime, I missed you singing to me,” she explained. 

“I promise I’ll sing to you extra tonight to make up for it. How’s that sound?” he asked, rocking her back and forth in his embrace.

“Yes, please!” she enthused. “Oh, oh, oh!”

Link couldn’t help but chuckle at how excited she was to change the subject. “Yes?”

“Did you have a fun playdate with Mr. Rhett?” she questioned.

“Oooooh, wow…” Link wasn’t sure what he should tell her, so he simply laughed and nodded. “Yeah, we… We had a really tasty dinner, and then we watched movies. And then we had an even  _ tastier _ breakfast!” He figured leaving out all of the drinking and intense conversation would make it sound like it was a relatively normal night. 

“What’d you have for breakfast?” she asked, eyes wide. “Mr. Drew made us pancakes!” 

“Wow, pancakes! I bet they were super tasty… Mr. Rhett and I had pizza.” Link waited for Ryleigh’s shocked reaction, and sure enough, she gasped, absolutely scandalized by what her father had told her.

“Pizza for breakfast?! You can do that?” she questioned.

“Only when you’re a grown-up and you can pay for it yourself,” he explained with a chuckle. 

Ryleigh was amazed. “Playdates sound way funner when you’re a grown-up…” she mumbled.

“What? Noooo,” Link replied, shaking his head. “I’m sure you had waaaaaay more fun with Hannah and Josie.”

“Did you get to play with any toys, Daddy?” Ryleigh asked, trying to determine which group had experienced a better “playdate”. 

Link bit his lip, trying not to laugh at her line of questioning. “Nope. No toys, baby. See? You and Hannah had a much better time.”

She looked up at him, a confused look on her face. “What’d you do the whole night if you couldn’t play with toys?” 

“We talked lots,” he offered. It was the truth, after all.

“Nuh uh,” Ryleigh said, shaking her head.

With a loud laugh that hurt his head, Link asked, “What do you mean ‘nuh uh?’” 

“You can’t just talk on a playdate. That’s too boring. I’m gonna ask Mr. Rhett at school.” 

Link rubbed his temples and nodded. The pain in his head was growing worse as the morning went on, and the more he talked to Ryleigh. Her voice was a high enough pitch that was exacerbating the issue. “Okay, baby. You do that,” he said, in too much pain to try to explain further. “Do you care if Daddy goes and lies down?”

“You need to have naptime?” she asked sweetly.

“I think so, baby,” he confirmed. 

“Too much fun on your playdate,” she said, shaking her head in shame. If Link was feeling better, it would have cracked him up. “Sleep tight, Daddy!”

With that, Link patted her on her head and stood, retreating to the dark bedroom. He wasn’t really sleepy, for once. But, he needed to get some time alone to think. 

Link removed his shoes before laying down on the air mattress on the floor, taking care not to close his eyes so that he wouldn’t see things that he didn’t want to.

The man was thankful for the fact that he wasn’t exactly tired because this time, the racing thoughts didn’t bother him too much. Well, until they went downhill. 

It started with positive thoughts about the previous night and this morning. How he had fun at dinner. How it was nice to have human contact while he was cuddling with Rhett. How it was so sweet for him to call in a favor and probably drop a hefty sum to get him pizza because it was what he was craving. How he had had an  _ amazing  _ time with him and how he couldn’t wait until the  **next time** . 

But then, the thoughts turned darker. Turned to their conversation in the media room, to what Rhett had told him. To what  _ he  _ had told  **Rhett.** To what Rhett now knew about him. 

He thought about how Rhett knew what Caroline had done to him, how he knew that he had been abused. Humiliated.  **Beaten** . Made less of a man than he was before she came into his life. And then he thought about how he had essentially lied to him, had implied that Caroline was no longer on this mortal plane of existence. 

Link trembled slightly as tears filled his eyes at the thought that Rhett might find him out. Find out that Caroline wasn’t dead, find out what he had done to her. How he had taken Ryleigh away from her Mama. How he had  **kidnapped** a child, even if she was his own flesh and blood.

Link wrapped his arms around his midsection, trying to keep himself still so that he didn’t fucking seize from shaking so much. 

He had had a good date with Rhett, was looking forward to seeing him again when he brought Ryleigh to school on Monday. The last thing he needed or wanted was for Rhett to find out what a horrible thing he had actually done, especially to a poor, mentally-ill woman who just needed  **help** and  _ love _ **_._ **

Link didn’t know what was to come in his relationship with Rhett. If they’d see each other romantically again, if he’d find out about Ryleigh… Link knew nothing of that. But he did know one thing for sure: if Rhett  _ did  _ happen to find out about what Link had done, he very well might turn from the victim to the monster in Rhett’s eyes. 

* * *

 

**Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at 12:27 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Approaching the trio of graves slowly, Rhett let out a sigh. Then, he sat in front of the one in the middle, Lauren’s grave, and set the fresh flowers that he had brought down beside him. 

Rhett went to work picking up the dead bouquets and tossing them to the other side of him before placing the fresh ones on the respective graves of who they were meant for. If he didn’t, how else would people know they were loved when they came for those that they were visiting?

Once everybody had their fresh flowers, Rhett went to work shifting from grave to grave and talking to his children. Updating them on shows that he was sure they would have liked, telling them what he had been up to and how he had missed them very much this week, how he wished he could hold them and kiss them and tell them that he loved them to their faces. He spoke almost as if he thought his words would raise them from the dead for him. 

There were no responses from either of them. Not a smile, not a babble, not a hug. And it stung, Rhett could say that much. It still stung ten years later, because he could still imagine it. He hadn’t forgotten their touches or their sounds, and that’s what made it hurt.  

Rhett didn’t even try to keep his tears at bay. He had to be strong. For his students. For his teachers. For people who counted on him. For  **himself** . So strong, all week. Because if he allowed himself to cry whenever he wanted, he was afraid he’d never stop. But on Saturdays, he was free and clear to cry all he wanted, because otherwise, he’d bottle his emotions until he exploded. 

So, he let them flow out of his eyes and down his cheeks until his entire face was soaked and he was shaking slightly. Well, until he didn’t. Until he sniffled and wiped his face with the hem of his sweater, then took a deep breath and hoped it was enough to keep himself calm while he talked to  _ her _ . 

“Hey, baby,” Rhett smiled shakily, moving back to the center grave. “So, I hope you’re not mad, but remember that date I told you I was thinking about last week? I… may have moved it up to last night.” 

Rhett shook his head. If he focused, he could almost hear Lauren telling him that it was typical of him, that he had always been impatient. 

“Yeah, I know. I know. But he’s a very nice guy, yanno? I couldn’t help it. The words just kind of came out of my mouth. You know I’m a buffoon when I… when I have a crush.” Rhett paused at that, wiping another stray tear from his eye. “He drank two bottles of that wine you hate. We watched  _ 50 First Dates _ and fell asleep in the media room. Had pizza in the morning. Man, he eats like nobody I’ve ever seen before. But that’s probably because… No. That’s his story to tell. But I did tell him about you guys. Told him… told him about what I did. How I let you four down. He seemed to understand, didn’t sound mad. I don’t know why. He should be running for the hills at the first sign of trouble, and what happened was a big red flag, but instead, he just… just told me it was all okay, that it wasn’t my fault.” 

Rhett knew that Lauren would say that same if she could. That she would tell him that he couldn’t have known, that he was just trying to be there for his students. 

Or maybe she wouldn’t. 

Maybe she’d blame him. Maybe she’d ask how dare he put his job before his family, a job that he shouldn’t even have. A job he got for the hell of it. A job he didn’t  **need** . How dare he go into work on his eldest daughter’s  _ birthday  _ of all days and force her hand in picking him up to celebrate? How dare he do that and kill them? How dare he do that and make Savannah spend her years wilting away in a hospital bed, her muscles atrophying and her cognitive abilities depleting by the second?

Maybe she’d tell him that it was his fault, that he was in the wrong and that  **he** did this to him. Maybe she’d tell him that if she had made it out alive, she’d never have forgiven him for what he did to their children. 

And she’d be right.

“But I really like him, baby, and I want to see him again. He’s nice to his daughter, he’s sweet to me, and he makes my damn heart flutter.” 

Rhett scoffed. “I know. Flutter. Not the most manly thing to say, eh? But it’s true. He’s… he’s not you, but I think… I think he’s worth diving headfirst into the dating pool for.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to our betas for this chapter, a-smut-sundae, chibitabathasloves, and good-mythical-maddi

**Monday, November 6th, 2017 at 12:27 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

Link knew he was probably hurting Ryleigh’s hand as he held it while they strolled to her classroom Monday morning. His heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest, and he was holding his daughter’s hand as tight as he could, not on purpose, but reflexively, trying to keep himself grounded. On the drive over, he’d been gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. It took him some time, but he realized that all of this was from excitement and not sheer panic. He was  _ excited  _ to see Rhett again. After everything that had happened between them over the course of their date, he was worried that things would be different between them, but mostly, he was just eager to see the man again. Once they reached the doorway to the classroom, he took a deep breath, trying to compose himself so he could act as casual as possible. 

He hesitated a moment before crossing the threshold, but as soon as they stepped inside, Ryleigh let go of his hand and ran up to her teacher. “Hi, Mr. Rhett! I missed you!” she yelled, hugging his legs. 

“It’s great to see you, Miss Ryleigh! Excited for class today?” he asked, looking at Link with a twinkle in his eye instead of down at the girl currently attached to him.

Ryleigh nodded in confirmation. “I’m gonna go see Hannah because I missed her too.”

“Okay, sweetie, you do that,” he chuckled, pointing her to where Hannah was playing with toys in the corner of the classroom.

Once the girl was gone, Rhett took the opportunity to approach Link, taking him off guard by pulling him into a hug. It was a regular, casual hug, nothing special, but Link noticed that it did linger just a bit too long for it to be merely platonic. Rhett rubbed Link’s back for a moment before breaking away. Link was keenly aware that there were other parents walking in and out of the room, and hoped that none of them suspected anything out of the ordinary. It was obvious to  _ him  _ that something had shifted in the pair’s mannerisms around each other, but he hoped that it was just because he knew that things were different. Rhett walked over to his desk before coming back, drink now in hand. 

“I got you a coffee,” he said with a smile. Voice low so that nobody else would hear, he added, “I promise I won’t accidentally blurt out something ridiculous this time.”

Link tried to hold back a grin, resulting in some goofy half smile. “Thanks, Rhett. You don’t have to get me coffee, I can get—”

“Link, stop,” Rhett interrupted with a laugh. “I know you can get your own coffee at work or whatever. I  _ want _ to get you coffee. As a kind gesture.” Again, he added quietly, “Plus, it gives me an opportunity to flirt with you a little bit…” 

Link’s heart fluttered and his breath hitched in his throat. Face turning bright red, he looked to the floor and shifted his weight from side to side. “O-oh…” He wasn’t sure how to respond to that, still not used to the idea that Rhett would want to flirt with him in the first place. He also didn’t want to say something too overtly flirtatious, and have one of the other parents, or worse, one of the kids, overhear. “I, uh… Well, I appreciate it,” he settled on, glancing back up at the teacher.

Rhett smirked. He loved seeing how flustered he could make Link without too much effort. “Do you have a minute to hang out and chat, or do you need to run off to work?” Rhett asked after a brief moment of silence between the two.

“Oh, actually,” Link said, suddenly remembering the bag he was holding. “I have to go track Drew down so I can return the pajamas Ryleigh borrowed during her sleepover with Hannah.”

“Hand ‘em over,” Rhett smiled, reaching out to take the bag from Link. “I can give them to him for ya. No biggie.”

“Are you sure?” Link asked. “It’s really no trouble. I have some time…” 

Rhett rolled his eyes comically. “I’m sure you do, Link. But if I take it off your hands, then you have some time to stand here and talk with  _ me _ . I’m trying to keep you here longer.” He leaned over to playfully nudge the man, who had looked away shyly again.

Link couldn’t help but laugh softly at his own ignorance. “Okaaaay,” he mumbled, handing over the bag. “Just for a minute, though. I shouldn’t wait around for too much longer.”

Rhett took the bag and stashed it under his desk before leaning against the wall. “Soooo, how was your weekend?” he asked, overly casual as another parent walked past. 

Link giggled at the man’s clear shift in demeanor. “It was, uh… It was good,” he stated simply. His heart rate increased as he tried to work up the courage to flirt back. He glanced around, trying to make sure there was nobody within earshot before adding, “I was mostly just looking forward to seeing you again…”

“Is that so?” Rhett asked, eyebrows shooting up. “That makes two of us!”

God, Rhett knew how to drive Link nuts. He was sure his face was bright red again, as was starting to be his default while in his presence. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Um… Thanks again for dinner and everything,” he whispered. 

Rhett reached out and patted Link on the shoulder. Again, his hand lingered just a fraction of a second too long. 

“You’re very welcome, Link,” he said. Glancing at the clock, he put his hands on both of Link’s shoulders, guiding him out of the room just as he had done while walking through the restaurant Friday night. “You better get going, Mr. Fancy Engineer. Don’t want you being late.”

Link laughed and followed along. “I’ll see ya later, Rhett. I hope you can handle Ryleigh today. She has been excited about pestering you all weekend,” Link said, winking and jogging off down the hall before Rhett could respond. He figured it’d be better to leave the guy wondering what the hell he’d meant. 

And, just as was Link’s intention, Rhett was left standing in the doorway, a confused look on his face. Pestering him specifically? “What?” he asked under his breath. And what was up with Link running away before he had the chance to say goodbye in return?

As Link headed back to the parking lot, he was stopped by the same group of young moms that had stopped him the previous week. What did they want now? His nerves spiked, as the expression on their faces made them seem as if they were suspicious of him.  _ Now _ something was off.  _ Now _ they had to have seen the press about them or something. Something was wrong.

But once again, the black-haired woman spoke, and Link nearly melted with relief. “You’ve gotten to know Mr. Rhett a little better, huh?” she asked, her tone clearly expressing the fact that they were merely trying to tease him. 

“You two look like you’re pretty  _ comfortable _ with each other,” the brunette added.

Link could feel his face heating up, and he silently cursed himself. Why was he so easily flustered?! 

“Oh, uh…” he stammered, unsure of how to respond. He didn’t want to tell them they’d gone on a date, but even beyond that, he was sure Rhett wouldn’t want it to get out, either. “He’s… He’s um…” Link glanced down at his coffee and then back up at the women, feeling like he’d bought himself enough time to come up with a decent answer. “He’s really helpful. Being a single dad in a new place is tough and he’s done a lot to help both Ryleigh and me settle in.” There. Hopefully that was enough and not too much all at once. Talking with these women felt like he was walking a tightrope. 

“Oh, Charles, so Ryleigh’s mom isn’t in the picture?” the strawberry blonde asked. The black-haired woman hit her friend on the arm for being so insensitive. 

Link suddenly realized he hadn’t remembered any of their names. “You, um… You can call me Link,” he said, remembering what Rhett had said about people at Suncrest being relatively relaxed. “But, I’m sorry… I completely forgot all of your names. I was a zombie when we met… Not much better now, but you know…” He laughed awkwardly.

“Oh, that’s no problem, we understand!” the brunette mother assured. “I’m Jolie, and this is Ashlynn and Crystal,” she said, pointing to the blonde woman and the black-haired woman, respectively. 

“Jolie, Ashlynn, and Crystal,” Link repeated, trying to make sure he wouldn’t forget again. He was sure he wouldn’t. Those were very stereotypical LA names, as far as his southern side was concerned. “Nice to re-meet you.”

All three moms giggled, Jolie and Ashlynn holding onto his arms. He gulped, a little taken off guard by how touchy they were. “Okay, please don’t be offended, but you’re new here, and I’ve just gotta ask,” Ashlynn began.

“Ashlynn,  _ don’t! _ ” Crystal practically begged her friend, Jolie backing her up.

“I have to!” Ashlynn insisted. Link looked back and forth between all three women, eyes wide with anticipation. “So.  _ Link.  _ You’re single? Breakup? Divorce? Give me the deets.”

“Ashlynn!” Crystal gasped. 

Link could feel his heart rate speeding up and his hands growing clammy as his nerves spiked. Why did Ashlynn care? “I, uh… Ryleigh’s mom, um… She recently, uh…” He paused a moment. “She… passed.” Well, he supposed now he wasn’t just heavily implying it. Now, he was actively spreading the lie himself. It didn’t feel great.

Jolie, Ashlynn, and Crystal all gasped, but Ashlynn clearly felt the worst. “Link, I’m sorry. I was just trying to tease you. If I’d known…”

“No, no. It’s okay,” Link tried to assure. “I’m… Ryleigh and I… We’re… We’re okay. And, um… Like I said, Mr. Rhett has been… great.” He couldn’t help but smile slightly as he spoke Rhett’s name. He tried his best to hold it back, and thought he did a good job, but clearly these three women had the eyes of a hawk. 

The mood lightened as Ashlynn said, “I  _ see _ . Super helpful.” She punctuated her sentence with a wink. 

Link blushed. “I… I mean, we…”

“Okay, Link. Time to be honest,” Crystal said. “Are you as into your daughter’s teacher as we are?” 

Jolie and Ashlynn started laughing and clapping their hands. “We saw your face when he handed over that coffee! Don’t lie!” Jolie teased.

Link was feeling incredibly cornered, but he kept reminding himself that these women were just playing around. Again, building potential friendships seemed incredibly dangerous given his situation with Ryleigh, but… maybe it wasn’t so bad, after all. The more established they were, the less suspicious they’d seem, right? So, for the sake of friendship, he decided to be honest. “Okay, okay… Uh, yeah. Yes. Yes, I am.” A small laugh escaped as he spoke.

“I TOLD YOU GUYS!” Ashlynn yelled, arms raised triumphantly. “Oh my god. I swear he’s into you, too. I swear. They don’t believe me.”

Link’s laughter grew louder at Ashlynn’s outburst. Nodding slowly, he replied, “Oh… Yeah, um… Yeah, I dunno…” 

“You should totally come to brunch with us so we can vent about how absolutely fantastic Mr. Rhett is,” Jolie smiled sweetly, taking Link’s hand and holding it, swinging it playfully back and forth. “ _ Pleeeeaaaaase _ ?”

“I… I, uh… I’m sorry. I should actually get going. I’m gonna be late for work…” Link said apologetically. “It was really nice talking to you, though.”

The three moms let out sounds of disappointment, but nodded. Jolie dropped his hand and waved instead.

“It was great bumping into you again, Link,” Crystal said. 

Link waved goodbye and quickly walked away, rushing back to the parking lot so he could make his way to his office as he wondered what in the world had just occurred. 

* * *

 

**Monday, November 6th, 2017 at 11:30 AM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

As all of the kids got their lunches and settled down to eat, instead of joining Hannah at their usual table, Ryleigh parked herself next to her teacher. This came as a surprise to Rhett, considering the girl had barely left Hannah’s side since the two met on Ryleigh’s first day. “Ryleigh, why aren’t you sitting with Hannah today?” he asked softly, worried that the pair had gotten into an argument.

“ _ Because, _ Mr. Rhett, I have  _ questions _ for you,” she explained matter-of-factly. 

“Questions? What kind of questions?” he asked, trying not to laugh at the girl’s business-like tone.

“About your playdate with my daddy,” she said. “He wouldn’t tell me the truth. He said you didn’t play with any toys, but I said that would be a really boring playdate. But he said you had fun. So I said I was gonna ask you instead.”

Rhett bit his lip, trying his absolute best not to burst out laughing. Ryleigh was being serious, so he wanted to remain serious, as well. He supposed this is what Link had been referring to that morning. “Oh, I see,” he nodded. “Well, your daddy was actually telling the truth.”

“What?!” Ryleigh asked, shocked. 

“Mhmmm,” the teacher confirmed. “We played with zero toys.”

“Then what’d you do?!” 

“Well… We went out to a super fancy dinner. We ate lots of pasta. And then we went back to my house and watched a funny movie. And then we talked a  _ lot _ , and got so tired  that we fell asleep. And then we woke up and had pizza for breakfast. And then we came to pick you up. And that was our playdate.”

Ryleigh squinted her eyes as she looked up at the man, trying to judge whether or not he was telling the truth. “What did you talk about?” she asked, trying to gather more information. 

Rhett went quiet, trying to figure out how to answer her question. He obviously couldn’t tell her what they’d actually talked about. “Well, we talked about… We talked about our favorite foods, about movies and music, and about...you!” That last part was the truth, but Rhett made a mental note to ask Link more about music. Taking him to an open mic night might be a good idea for another date… 

“Are you gonna have another sleepover with my daddy?” Ryleigh asked suddenly, drawing Rhett out of his own thoughts.

Rhett wasn’t one to blush easily, but his face turned bright red at the girl’s question. He hoped none of the other teachers had overheard what she’d said. Although, he was certain he needed to worry about the kids, too. They were so young they had no real concept of keeping these sort of things a secret, yet. “Oh, I dunno, sweetheart. You know, we didn’t mean to have a sleepover. We were just so sleepy we fell asleep on the couch. But, I’d really like to have another… playdate. Would you mind if I took him out for another playdate?”

Ryleigh shook her head no. “You’re rich and fancy, Mr. Rhett. You should have toys for playdates. You can borrow some of mine so your next one isn’t so boring you fall asleep. But you should buy yourself some toys.” She patted him on the arm out of pity.

Rhett couldn’t help but laugh at that, nodding. “Okay, sweetheart. I’d really appreciate that. I’ll take your advice.” After a pause, Rhett pointed to Hannah, who was sitting all by herself, looking sad. “Hey, Ry? I think your friend wants your company. Why don’t you go sit and eat with her?”

Ryleigh gasped at the thought that Hannah was anything but happy. She grabbed her lunch and left her teacher without another word. Rhett sighed, feeling his phone in his pocket. He’d been fighting the urge to text Link all morning long. He just had Link stuck in his mind, wishing he’d had longer to talk with him. So, he gave into the urge, pulling out his phone to send the man a text. 

_ “Hey, Link. Ur daughter just interrogated me about our ‘playdate.’  _

_ Called me out for being ‘rich and fancy’ and not having any toys _

_  to entertain you with. Sorry bout that. _

_  She said she’d loan me hers for next time ;). _

_  I hope ur having a good day.  _

_ Remember to feed yourself ♥.” _

He hit send without thinking about what he’d typed, but immediately regretted including the heart at the end. Was it too much? Probably… He silently cursed himself and went to put his phone back in his pocket, but felt a buzz. He checked the screen. Link had texted him back already.

_ “Eating now ♥”  _

A smile slowly spread across Rhett’s face. That one simple heart made him feel like… Like… Like he was in college again. Like he did in the beginning with… with her. The smile fell slightly, but then another text came through.

_ “And I told ya so.  _

_ She was determined to get answers. _

_  Does that mean there’s really  _

_ gonna be a next time?” _

Rhett laughed and replied. 

_ “Well, she asked if we _

_  were gonna have another sleepover. _

_  I said I wasn’t sure about that,  _

_ but did ask her permission to  _

_ take you on another playdate. _

_  If you’d like, of course.” _

 

Link’s simple reply was another heart. Rhett smiled again and tucked his phone back in his pocket, his heart welling up with an intense array of feelings, positive and negative. He was so intensely excited for whatever was to come between himself and Link, but those feelings reminded him so much of Lauren. It scared him, though, the fact that these feelings for Link reminded him so much of the early days with her. He barely knew Link, but he was already so emotionally invested in their relationship. Pft.  _ Relationship.  _ They’d been on one date and most of it was spent sobbing about their dead partners. God, he missed her…

* * *

 

**Monday, November 6th, 2017 at 6:45 PM; Los Angeles, California**

* * *

 

“Ready, you two?” Rhett asked with a smile. He was standing in the doorway of Link and Ryleigh’s apartment. He’d offered to take them grocery shopping, as Link had expressed that he wasn’t sure what he’d make for dinner when picking Ryleigh up, and Rhett was planning on going anyway. It had been a pleasant surprise to Rhett that Link had agreed, but he was excited nonetheless. This was the opportunity to get that poor man some _ food _ . He’d have no excuse to not feed himself, then. 

“Ready!” Ryleigh enthused, hopping up and down, letting go of Link’s hand and reaching out for Rhett’s instead as to allow her father to lock their door. “I want candy!”

Link laughed softly, pulling the door closed as hard as he could. Their door didn’t shut easily, so it took both hands and all of his strength to get the key turned. He tried the door to ensure it was locked, and then shot Rhett a thumbs-up. “Ready.”

“Let’s get on our way, then!”

Link trailed behind Rhett and Ryleigh as they walked down the stairs to Rhett’s car, smiling as he watched them interacting. It warmed his heart to see how much Ryleigh loved her teacher, but also how much he loved her back. Rhett really was amazing when it came to interacting with his students. It seemed like he was an extra father to all of them, as far as Link could tell, and that only made more sense after their talk. 

Link helped get Ryleigh settled in the car seat before taking his place in the front passenger seat next to Rhett. Rhett started the car, and they were on their way. Only a minute into their journey, Rhett asked, “Hey, Link? Do you wanna turn on the radio?”

“Oh! Sure!” he enthused. He was always up for some music. It took him a moment to locate the volume, but he figured it out after a moment. 

The car was filled with the dulcet sounds of the Bee Gees, and Link’s face turned bright red the moment he heard the lyrics.  _ ‘How deep is your love? How deep is your love? How deep is your love? I really need to learn, 'cause we're living in a world of fools.’ _

Rhett bit his lip to stop himself from smirking, keeping his eyes glued to the road. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Link’s mouth agape, staring at him. He hadn’t done that on purpose, but Link obviously thought he had, and he figured it’d be more fun to let him believe it. He reached out and placed a hand on Link’s thigh, patting it gently with a laugh. Link simply stared out the side window, face burning up, hoping Ryleigh hadn’t noticed how flustered he’d become.

Luckily for Link, the song ended quicker than he had expected and it turned to another, more innocuous seventies hit. 

The man bopped his head along to the tune, drumming his fingers on the car door as the song played and watching the trees, cars, and people pass by as they drove along. 

The redness in his face eventually faded and he felt comfortable turning and chatting with his daughter for the rest of the ride. About anything and everything. About Mr. Rhett’s lessons that day, about how exciting it was when Mr. John came in to ask Mr. Rhett a question and she saw  _ another teacher  _ in a class that wasn’t theirs. About Hannah and Josie and about Daddy’s work, however boring it may be. And then, before they knew it, they were at the grocery store. 

“Alright, kiddo,” Rhett said, opening the door for Ryleigh, having put childlock on the backseat of all of his cars lest one or two strays attempt to escape. “Hold your Daddy’s hand to cross the parking lot, just to be safe. You’re tiny so cars don’t see ya coming.”

“Can I hold  **your** hand, Mr. Rhett?” Ryleigh asked inquisitively, staring up at his towering figure from her place on the pavement.

Before Mr. Rhett could answer, Ryleigh’s Daddy gasped in shock from his place by the passenger’s side door. 

Coming around to where his daughter and her teacher were, Link exclaimed, “Excuse me, young lady! What about holding your  _ father’s  _ hand?!”

The question elicited a giggle from Ryleigh, who patted her father’s thigh immediately and came up with a quick solution. “That’s okay, Daddy! I have  **two** hands,” she said and held up her index and middle fingers to demonstrate. “I can hold your hand  **and** Mr. Rhett’s hand!”

Link chuckled and looked at Rhett over Ryleigh’s head. “Whatdaya say, Rhett?”

“I say what the girl wants, the girl shall receive,” he winked, not noticing how Link’s heart skipped a beat at the action. 

“Sounds fair to me!” Link laughed before taking Ryleigh’s offered hand as Rhett did the same with her second one. 

They crossed the parking lot without incident, though Ryleigh swung Rhett and Link’s arms the entire way they went. 

When they got inside and to the carts, Rhett said, “All right, kiddo. Time to let go so we can push the carts. Would you like to walk or ride in one of the baskets?”

Link quirked his eyebrow at the use of the words, “carts” and “one of”, but he kept silent and shook the thought out of his head. Rhett  _ had  _ said he wanted to make sure they had enough food, and maybe he wanted to use one basket for himself.

“In your basket, Mr. Rhett! Please!” Ryleigh requested, holding her arms out to him so that he could place her in the cart.

Rhett smiled and bent down to pick Ryleigh up, placing her in the big area of the cart so that she had enough room. He failed to notice how Link looked disappointed, especially because the expression came and went in a flash. 

“Okay!” Rhett said and clapped his hands. This time, he noticed how Link flinched and shot him an apologetic look. “Let’s start at the beginning of the store so we can look through  _ every aisle  _ and decide what we want.”

“Yeah!” Ryleigh cheered, smiling over at her father from inside her little space in the middle of the basket. “Doesn’t that sound like fun, Daddy?!”

“Yeah, princess. Sounds like tons of fun,” Link smiled. “Thank you again for doing this, Rhett. I...-”

Rhett held up his hand to stop Link from speaking, shooting a side-eye at Ryleigh as if to convey,  _ ‘not in front of the little one.’ _ “Don’t mention it, it’s my pleasure. Pick anything you want, don’t worry about the price tag.” He had it covered.

“We can pick  **anything** we want?” Ryleigh asked excitedly, practically lighting up at hearing the words. If she were a dog, her tail would be wagging, that was for sure. 

“As long as your Daddy says it’s okay,” Rhett said and shot Link another wink. “Now, let’s get going.”

Rhett, Link, and Ryleigh made it through the first aisle, or rather, section, without incident. Produce was easy. They picked out grapes, apples, oranges, everything Ryleigh would eat, and then they moved onto meats and fish. That went swimmingly as well. It was when they got to the first actual aisle that they ran into trouble. 

“Oh, how adorable!” the trio heard a sickeningly sweet voice exclaim, and when they looked, they saw that it was an older lady with white hair who appeared to have to use her shopping cart for help standing. 

“I’ve never seen such a pretty young lady in all my years! And with  _ pink  _ hair, too! How bold! What’s your name, sweetie?”

“I’m Ryleigh!” the little girl exclaimed, beaming as she picked up a section of her hair and twirled it. “What’s your name, ma’am?”

“My name is Florence, dear,” she smiled, the skin around her mouth crinkling with the movement. 

“Florence…” Ryleigh mumbled. She waited a moment before holding up Raffy. “Do you like giraffes?”

Florence laughed sweetly and nodded, playing with Ryleigh’s hair. “I do! Did your daddies get that for you?” 

Ryleigh looked back and forth between the woman and her dad, unsure of how to respond. What did she mean by the plural?

Link spoke up when Ryleigh didn’t know what to say. “Yeah, I got it for her when she was born,” he explained, making sure to express that it was only himself that had been involved in gifting the stuffie.

“How sweet! Well, I won’t keep you lovely family up,” she said and nodded toward Rhett and Link. “Enjoy her while she’s young, you two. They grow fast.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Link sputtered, his southern accent heavy and his head spinning. Did this woman think that Ryleigh was _ their  _ daughter? 

But soon, she was on her way without Link asking for her to clarify. 

“Mr. Rhett, can we get some juice?!” Ryleigh asked, looking between her teacher and her father for an answer, but mostly at the former. 

“Sure, kiddo,” Rhett laughed. “Take your pick.”

As Ryleigh’s eyes scanned the aisle for which juice she’d like, so did Rhett’s. And then, before he knew it, Link had a disaster to avert. 


End file.
